Boston Daredevils
by RileysHell
Summary: Her passion, determination and ambitions had made her one of the hottest, new stars in the hockey world. When Jane returns home to Boston and signs with the Devils, trying to leave the past behind, she's hoping for a fresh start with new people, only to discover that it's impossible to have it all.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Please read this first.  
I know this has limited appeal because of the hockey theme, but I hope you will try it anyway. It is not loaded with hockey lingo ;)  
I don't claim to be an expert in hockey or medicine, but I have done my best to research.  
This hockey world is created in my imagination. Some of the rules (body checking/fighting) are different than in the real world of women's hockey. Please keep that in mind.  
The parts in italics that has a headline (like this very first one) are news articles.

If there is anything you don't understand, don't hesitate to write me. I'll do my best to help:)

Rated T with some language and mild violence, may change to M further down the road.  
Any R&I characters belong to their respective owners and not me, I just borrow them for creative purposes. Other fictional characters in this story do however belong to me.

Cover made by a good friend of mine, kiddo.

* * *

 ** _Rizzoli Without a Team_**

 _After a lot of speculation, Jane Rizzoli (22) and the Denver Grizzlies confirmed today that they are parting ways. It was Rizzoli's decision to not renew her contract, and says she has no hard feelings against Denver._

 _Rizzoli was drafted 4_ _th_ _overall by Denver four years ago, and had a great start to her career in the Women's National Hockey League with 26 goals and 43 points in her rookie season two years later. She ranked second in goals among the rookies that year, and third on her team. With her superb speed, several of her goals were shorthanded or breakaways. This season started like she ended the first, with a 5-game point streak before she seemed to struggle. She ended up with a disappointing 24 points._

 _It shouldn't take too long before the Boston native signs a contract with a new team. She is currently the most attractive player on the free agent market and as soon as the first offer comes along, other teams have to be quick._

"Wait, hold up." Danielle Smith stopped by a newsstand and picked up a magazine. "Oh, just look at that picture! You look so scary!" She slapped the arm of her best friend and grinned. "Toughest girl in the country, all geared up and ready to knock the shit out of anyone who tries to get past her on the ice. I have to buy this." She started looking through her pockets for money.

Jane sighed and shook her head. It wasn't the first article about her in a magazine, not even her first cover, and it certainly wasn't the first one her friend had bought. "You're almost worse than my fans…"

Danielle laughed and put the magazine in her bag. "I AM your fan. And my best friend is a hot, new star in the hockey world, of course I'm gonna buy magazines, jerseys and shit." They started walking again, heading for the basketball court just a few blocks from Danielle's place.

"I feel bad for the rest of my fans who will never have a chance to buy one of my game used jerseys" Jane teased.

"They'll have their chances. I already have one of your Denver jerseys, I don't need another one. I will be first in line as soon as you sign with a new team though."

Jane laughed. "I already feel bad for anyone being in a line along with you. I'll have to personally apologize to everyone wherever I end up."

They stopped at a traffic light and Danielle turned to look at Jane. "Don't act like you don't like it" she smiled. No response, but she could tell from the smile on Jane's face that she was right. "So, you don't regret leaving Denver?"

"No way. Not at all. It's good to be back home in Boston for now. Despite the fact that my craziest fans are here." Jane smirked as the light changed and they crossed the street.

Danielle smiled as well, happy to be face to face with Jane again during their banter. Ever since Jane left for Denver four years ago, they hadn't had much time together.

They were inseparable as kids, despite their rivaling start at hockey camp when they were 13. Jane had been the quick sniper, always looking to score goals. She was competitive and selfish, and more than once did the coaches have to talk with her parents. She never cared much about it, she didn't care that the other kids didn't like her either, as long as she could play and score goals.

That all changed when Danielle joined the team. Being just as competitive she quickly got under Jane's skin, stealing the spotlight. Jane would put in extra hours practicing, just to discover that Danielle did the same. Then one sarcastic comment was answered with an even more sarcastic response, and they realized they had more in common than hockey.

"I still can't believe the Red Sox blew that game last night" Jane sighed and sat down on the bench by the court. She found her water bottle and placed it next to her.

"I know. That was horrible! I don't know why I bothered to watch the last part…"

Jane slowly turned to Danielle. "I hope that doesn't mean you walk away from any of my games?"

Danielle laughed and shook her head. "No way. But that's because you're usually on the team that scores the most goals."

"True" Jane nodded and her lips turned into a sly grin. "Such a coincidence…" She got up and picked up the ball and started bouncing it.

"Oh humble one… how I would love to see you score tonight when we go out…" Danielle sighed and got up as well.

"What?" Jane laughed and stopped.

"Well, not with me of course!"

"I know that, moron! But come on, you really think I would let you watch if I score tonight…?"

Danielle snapped the ball out of Jane's hands and grimaced. "Eww! No! It's just a saying, idiot!"

Jane was grinning. She loved their banter and teasing. No one could do sarcasm, teasing and humor with such a perfect twist like Danielle. "Of course I know that, I may be an idiot but I'm not a moron… and why do you wanna see me score tonight?"

"Well… you last scored in April, it's now August. That's one hell of a dry spell." Danielle let the rest of the sentence hang unspoken in the air and threw the ball back at Jane.

"Haha! You're so funny" Jane replied sarcastically.

Danielle silently accepted the compliment, knowing she had the upper hand when Jane resorted to those comebacks. They continued their teasing while they started playing. "But seriously, you should totally make the most of that magazine cover tonight. Impress the ladies… or pretend like you hate the attention. Both will probably work."

"Why are you so focused on me getting laid?!"

Danielle tried to make a few moves to get past Jane, but when she failed she stopped and tried to do her best puppy eyes. "I just want what's best for you, my friend."

Jane burst out laughing. "Bullshit!" She took advantage of Danielle's lack of focus and stole the ball from her hands.

Danielle started laughing too while she ran after Jane who headed for the net. "Yeah… it's bullshit. I don't give a shit about what's best for you."

Jane jumped and easily got the ball through the net. "Score!"

Danielle stopped and smiled while she shook her head. At the same time, she saw Jane falling against the post with her feet firmly planted on the ground. Jane had stepped on her shoelace, something her mother had warned her about since she was a kid, and was unable to move her feet. Danielle snorted amidst it all until Jane went head first into the post and then fell down to the ground.

"Shit…" Danielle mumbled and knew right away that Jane was hurt. Otherwise she would quickly get up on her feet and joke it off. "Jane, are you okay?" Danielle kneeled next to Jane and looked down at her. No answer, and no movement.

* * *

Jane slowly opened her eyes and looked straight at two faces. It took a while to figure out she was on her back, looking up towards the sky. She recognized Danielle, but she couldn't figure out who the blonde was. She didn't really hear what they were saying either, but it seemed to be about her. Jane took a deep breath. "Why am I down here…?" She started to sit up, but the stranger's hand pushed her firmly down again. Words were again spoken, and Jane turned to Danielle with a puzzled look. "Help me up, you moron…"

"No, just stay still. You hit your head pretty bad."

Jane looked from Danielle to the blonde stranger and then she sighed. "I'm fine! Get away." She made another effort to get up and this time she managed to sit up before four hands grabbed her shoulders.

"No, you are not fine" the stranger protested.

The words were blurry as Jane got dizzy from the sudden movement. Things started to spin and she closed her eyes to make it all stop. It didn't really help and she got the feeling she was falling. Next time she opened her eyes she was back on the ground again, staring at the sky. Danielle was still talking to the stranger, and Jane watched. She noticed a hint of a dimple on the left cheek and studied it cautiously until the blonde pursed her lips together.

"Cute dimple" Jane mumbled and tried to smile. "It looks good on you. Fits you perfectly."

The blonde looked down at her, somewhat confused at first. But then she smiled and quickly looked away.

"Ah, there it is again!" And Jane closed her eyes to stop the spinning.

* * *

Danielle brought Jane home from the ER later that afternoon. After a checkup and some strict rules, Jane had been released because Danielle had promised to keep an eye on her friend.

"No tv, no movies, no music, no reading… well, that one doesn't hurt…" Jane sank down on Danielle's couch and sighed. "No Red Sox, no jumping and bouncing around, no loud noises and…" She performed a drumroll with her fingers on the table. "No hockey or skating whatsoever. Top reasons why I hate concussions!"

"Don't forget no alcohol" Danielle added as she walked past the couch towards the kitchen.

"Do you hate me? Seriously, do you hate me? Cause I know that my friend would not remind me of that!"

Danielle chuckled and grabbed a bottle of water. "Yeah, I hate you, that's why I offered to keep an eye on you for the next 24 hours so you wouldn't be stuck with your mom."

Jane smiled at the thought. "Okay, that was actually really nice of you. It's bad enough I have to live at home until I find a new team."

"You knew I would do it. No way I'm leaving you with your mom and have to deal with your craziness afterwards." Danielle sat down in the opposite corner and turned to Jane. "So… when are we gonna talk about you hitting on that stranger while you were almost unconscious?"

Jane slowly turned her head. "What? I didn't…hit on anyone."

"Oh yes you did. You don't remember!?"

They stared at each other while Jane tried to go back a few hours. But the moments were all just a blur in her head. "Well, I have a concussion! Memory loss included…" she argued.

"Touché" Danielle smiled. "But okay, let me refresh your memory then. Do the words 'cute dimple' ring any bell?"

"There's a lot of bells ringing in my head right now, but not that one…"

"Too bad. Cause it was so funny to watch." Danielle ignored the scowl coming from Jane. "But fine, just seconds after you fell this woman crosses the street. Says she's a doctor and if she could help. And yeah, I admit she was pretty hot…"

"Says the straight girl…." Jane mumbled and was rewarded with a scowl herself.

"Anyway… she takes complete charge, asks me all sorts of questions while calling an ambulance. When you finally wake up, you try to convince us that you're fine, like usual. Second time you wake up, you mumble that this woman has a 'cute dimple' and you totally hit on her. She actually blushed!"

Jane wasn't sure if she should feel proud or embarrassed. Hitting on a woman while practically passed out was indeed a first, but so was the fact that she didn't remember it. "So she obviously blushes easily…" she said casually.

Danielle looked at her and laughed. "Don't act so humble, it's freaking me out! It's not you, at all!"

"Sorry" Jane laughed as well. "Must be the concussion. So, did she say anything?"

"No, just that I had to make sure you weren't alone the next couple of days. And to get you checked out at the ER. She said it was most likely a mild concussion, and she turned out to be right."

"Wow, a doctor who knew what she was talking about. I'm glad you decided to listen to her" Jane mocked.

Danielle glared at her and sighed. "I would have given you a concussion right now if you didn't already suffer from one."

Jane laughed. "Well, look at that, a good thing about my concussion after all!"

* * *

Jane had barely turned five when her parents split up. Her father moved away from Boston, and she and her two younger brothers were left with their devastated mother. Nearly three years later Vince Korsak, a well-known homicide detective, entered their life, and even though she found it strange to have a stepdad, she quickly bonded with him. She was serious about hockey, but was missing that male role model and support. After he moved in with them, he became the most important person in her life regarding the game. She was determined to play, and no one could stop her. Korsak supported her through everything, and even as an adult and a professional hockey player, Jane always turned to him for advice.

Jane walked through the doors at The Dirty Robber, a well-known cop bar that Korsak bought after he took out an early retirement. With the help of Jane's mother, he was now running it and doing a pretty good job at it. She sat down at the bar and rested her arms on the counter.

"Hi Jane. How's the head?" Korsak asked and looked up from his papers.

"It's fine…"

Korsak sensed there was something going on and put down his pen. "What's up?" He took off his reading glasses before he reached for a cup and poured her a coffee.

"My agent called me this morning. Atlanta wants me."

Korsak could tell from the way she stared at the cup in her hands that she wasn't very enthusiastic about it. Reading Jane Rizzoli was easy. Sometimes. "So what are you thinking?"

"I don't know…" she sighed and looked up. "My first reaction was disappointment. Cause they are… mediocre, they're not a great team. I know I'm demanding, but I want to play for a great team. Or a team where I might have a shot at the cup one day. Atlanta will never win the cup, at least not in the next decade, they're just stuck there in the middle."

"And nobody blames you for that. So was the salary decent? Since you seem to be doubting."

"Oh… yeah, salary was more than decent. But I still don't know. There's nothing in me that says I should do this."

"Then maybe you shouldn't do it. If you're not interested, then you shouldn't force yourself either. There will be plenty of other offers."

"You think?"

Korsak laughed. "Of course! Jane, you scored 26 goals in your first season. In 52 games! As a rookie! I can promise you that there are teams out there doing algebra to make room for you!"

Jane smiled for the first time that day. She trusted Korsak, but she also knew that she had just scored 5 goals in the next 24 games. Not at all what was expected from her, what she was expecting from herself.

"And now that the first offer is out there, the other teams know they have to be quick. Trust me, Jane. Wait for an offer that excites you."

* * *

 ** _A New Devil in Town_**

 _Boston native Jane Rizzoli (22), said to be one of the most promising hockey players in the Women's National Hockey League, has just signed a two year-contract with the Boston Daredevils. Rizzoli didn't renew her contract with Denver Grizzlies after last season, and several teams have been interested in getting the right wing's signature during the summer break. She spent her two first seasons in Denver after being drafted as number 4 four years ago. In her first professional season, Rizzoli recorded 26 goals and 17 assists for 43 points. Last season she struggled and ended up with a disappointing 24 points._

 _The Daredevils have been rebuilding the last two years, ending up in the lower half of the standings, and general manager Chris Stewart says Rizzoli is the type of player they have been looking for._

 _"_ _We are very happy to add Rizzoli to our team. She's a great player and will bring that strength and tenacity that we've been looking for on the ice along with her speed which makes her a constant threat. She's a typical goal scorer who works hard in every battle."_

 _The main person herself is looking forward to joining her new team._

 _"_ _I'm very excited. Boston is my home and it's good to be back where I started. There is real hockey passion in this city and it's a great arena for young players to develop. The Devils have some very exciting players and prospects so they have something good going on right now. I have no doubt they will become a Cup contender in a few years, and I'd love to be on that ride. I can't wait to get out on the ice and try to do my part."_

 _Rizzoli has yet to pass the medical tests before she can join the team, but according to Stewart, this is just a formality now and she should be ready for the season opener in less than two weeks._


	2. Chapter 2

Jane felt ten pounds being lifted off her shoulders as she stood by the benches that were now becoming her future. The ice was flawless and she could almost feel it under her feet. It felt right to stay in Boston. And she really looked forward to joining her new teammates that were now entering the ice for their practice. Her hand was holding her new jersey, and she had to take another look at it. The black and red jersey looked really cool, but it was the back that always got to her; 'Rizzoli' in white letters across the shoulders, and in huge, white digits on the back; 29. She traced the number with her fingers while smiling to herself.

"Jane! Good morning!" Chris Stewart, her new boss, interrupted her thoughts, and she quickly curled the jersey back in her hand. "Are you ready to go?"

"Good morning! Yes, I'm good to go." She put on a big smile, trying to make it look like she didn't find the medical tests boring as hell.

"Great. Dr. Isles just arrived, so let's go."

Chris was a young man considering his job as a general manager, at just 34 he had taken over a team that was in desperate need of change. Jane had read about how he shook up almost the whole team and even changed their coach during his first month. Only a few core players had survived, and the rebuild had started.

Chris led them through the hallways to the doctor's office, and Jane tried hard to memorize the path. She looked for particular signs or things to help her. The first few days with a new team, in a new building was always the worst. She had always been independent, and was certainly stubborn enough to make it on her own from the start. Luckily it wasn't the worst maze she had seen.

"Here we are" Chris announced. He knocked on the door before he opened it and motioned Jane to enter.

She stepped into the office and immediately looked around. The room was indeed a doctor's office. Clean white walls with glass cabinets for miscellaneous equipment, an examination bench in the middle of the room all prepped and ready, three shelves on the wall by the door with all sorts of medical books. And on the other end of the room, a tidy desk that matched the rest of the room, along with probably the hottest doctor Jane had ever seen.

"Good morning, Maura. How are you doing today?"

"Good morning to you too, Chris. I'm doing very well thank you."

Jane carefully looked from Chris to the doctor and sensed right away that these two were very professional towards each other. No friendly pat on the shoulder like she had seen Chris do towards a lot of the employees, men or women. But after taking a closer look at the doctor Jane found the reason for their professionalism. The doctor was composed, elegant, and honestly a bit too fancy for swarming around a bunch of sweaty and bloody hockey players. She looked more like an upper-class housewife. Dressed in a black skirt, blue top and a blazer, along with high heels. Who the hell wore high heels in a hockey rink?

Chris carefully cleared his throat and put his hand on Jane's shoulder. "I'd like you to meet our newest member, Jane Rizzoli. I believe you two have some tests to go through."

"Yes, of course" Maura replied and stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Maura Isles. Welcome to the team." She reached out her hand and smiled.

"Uh… thanks! I… I'm Jane… as he said" Jane stuttered and shook the doctor's hand. "Jane Rizzoli." _Jane Rizzoli, the stuttering idiot,_ she thought for herself and did a mental eye roll.

"Nice to meet you, Jane."

"Right" Chris interrupted and took a step back. "I'll let you two get started. Jane, come find me when you're done and we'll go through the last details."

Jane nodded and tore her eyes away from Maura, looking over her shoulder to see him go.

"Well then, let's get straight to it. I'd like to start by listening to your lungs and heart. Could you remove your jacket and sweater for me?" Maura asked.

Jane nodded before she saw Maura was already by the cabinets and couldn't see her. "Yeah, sure thing, doc" she grinned and put her jersey neatly over the back of the chair.

"So how long have you been playing?" Maura found her stethoscope and disinfected her hands while Jane willingly shed her clothes.

"Basically since I was a kid. I skated as soon as I could walk." Jane stood in the middle of the room in her tank top and waited.

"That is a long time. You must really love it" Maura smiled and warmed the stethoscope on her way over to Jane. She stopped in front of her and caught Jane's eyes. "I apologize if my hands are a bit cold…"

Jane just smiled and tried to hold back all the replies that wanted to escape. Maura gently lifted the top and placed her stethoscope over Jane's heart. It was impossible for Jane not to breathe in the doctor's perfume, and her whole body twitched involuntarily when Maura's fingers brushed against Jane's skin. At the same time, she had a weird feeling that she had seen this woman before. Something about the doctor was so familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Just going through the medical tests was a test in itself for a very impatient Jane. She tried her best to relax and just follow orders from the insanely hot doctor, but it was a struggle. Especially since she so often lost focus because of the woman next to her. She definitely liked this doctor, it was a huge step up from a middle aged guy with a toupee. And maybe Jane wouldn't be so stubborn about injuries this time. It was a known fact that she ignored anything, no matter how bad, if it meant that she could play. But getting hit with a high stick resulting in a split lip suddenly seemed like a good thing now.

* * *

Jane had lost all sense of time when she was finally allowed to get dressed again.

"Please, take a seat" Maura smiled and motioned to the chair in front of Jane before she returned to her chair behind the desk. "From what I've seen so far you seem to be in very good shape. I did notice that you recently suffered a concussion." Maura looked up at Jane.

"Yeah" Jane replied. "But I'm all good now though."

"How did you get the concussion? Basketball?" Maura smiled.

For a second Jane was slightly stunned and furrowed her eye brows. "Uhm… how did you-" And then she finally recognized the doctor. "Holy crap" she laughed. "That's where I've seen you before. You were the helpful stranger."

Maura simply nodded.

"God, it's been bugging me since I entered the room." Jane shook her head and smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you remember me now. How was your recovery?"

"Perfect. My doctor said the test results were back to normal a couple of weeks ago."

Maura looked down at the file open on her desk and nodded. "Yes, I see they are. I'm glad to hear that." She looked back at Jane and leaned her arms on the desk. "But I do want to keep you under observation the first week or so. Just to be safe."

"Of course" Jane agreed.

"But unless you experience any symptoms, you should be fine. Just promise to let me know if anything is not how it's supposed to be."

Jane nodded as a knock on the door interrupted them. Chris entered after giving clearance and smiled softly. "Sorry to interrupt, but I was just wondering how much longer it would be. I have a meeting in 30 minutes, but if you're not done we can reschedule."

"No, I believe we are all done" Maura smiled.

Jane smiled for herself as her mind commented on the cute dimple on the doctor's cheek.

 _Cute dimple… crap._

She saw the lips moving but didn't hear a word of what the doctor said. The fall, the concussion and the helpful stranger all came back to her, and Jane came to terms with the fact that she had pretty much hit on her new doctor before they even shook hands. She didn't have time to dwell on it as Maura looked at her and repeated her name. "Huh? Sorry…" Jane stood up when the doctor rose to her feet.

"I said you are all done here as soon as you promise to tell me about any irregularities." The smile on Maura's face was nothing but sweet, and Jane felt her own lips turn into a smile.

"Yeah, I promise, doc."

* * *

Jane made sure the table was dry and clean before she put her newly signed contract down. "It's official. I'm a Devil" she grinned.

Both her mother and Vince smiled and clapped. "Congratulations honey! I'm so happy to have you back in Boston so I can keep an eye on you" her mother beamed and hugged her.

"Yeah, no hugs, Ma." Jane smiled even though she squirmed out of her mother's embrace. "And thanks for closing the bar to celebrate" she directed at Vince. "I really appreciate it."

"It's the least we could do for you, Jane. And your mother is right; it will be good to have you back in town." At least Vince knew better than to hug Jane. Instead he settled for a pat on the back before he poured them both a beer.

"Yo, Rizzoli!"

Jane turned around when she heard the voice and the door opening. In came Barry Frost dressed in a black and red Devils jersey and Jane burst out laughing.

"Thanks to you I need to start watching women play hockey in this town!" Frost teased.

"Oh you poor bastard" Jane laughed and stood up to hug him. She noticed her number on the sleeves of the jersey and made Frost turn around. "How the hell did you get my jersey so quickly?!" she asked when she saw her own name across his back.

"What? I just ordered it. Custom made." He grinned and held out his arms to show it off.

Jane shook her head while smiling, somewhat surprised that he had already gotten her jersey. "You are a weird man… so how is the police life treating you?"

"Oh, it's all good. I'm still alive right?" he winked and sat down next to Jane. "No, seriously. It's a lot of fun. You would've loved it."

"I'm sure I would." Jane remembered how at one point she had been torn between hockey and becoming a police officer. She had always wanted to join the force, but hockey was her passion and something she was good at. After she met Frost in high school, she had found herself wondering if she really wanted to pursue a hockey career. She was afraid she would lose the passion, but in the end she had decided to stay on the ice, and so far she had not regretted it.

"So, any hot chicks in your life?" she asked after Frost had gotten his own beer.

"Nah" he sighed. "Been too busy with work to even think about it."

"Come on, you're always thinking about women!"

Frost laughed and looked at her. "Look who's talking!"

Jane smirked and couldn't really argue with him. "So nothing going on? No potential police woman?"

"Not really."

"Then maybe we need to join forces again, like in high school."

He looked at her and saw the sly grin on her face. "That would actually be fun!" he replied enthusiastically. "You really were the best wingman ever. Should be more fun now when we're both old enough to drink!"

Jane laughed and nodded. "Absolutely. Then we have a deal. If I can find a free spot in my schedule… it's kinda busy from now."

"I know, Jane. Don't worry about it" Frost smiled.

After another fifteen minutes, the rest of her friends and family had arrived. Her mother and Vince served everyone food and drinks while Jane dragged Danielle away from everyone after the initial congratulations. "You're not gonna believe the day I had" Jane sighed before she laughed.

"Uhm, okay?"

"I went through the medical tests today, and guess what, turns out the doctor and I had met before."

"Oh god, don't tell me you've slept with her!"

Jane laughed and shook her head. "No, I haven't. But I have to admit she is fucking hot… Anyway, remember that woman that helped you when I hit my head? Her name is Maura Isles." She could practically see the wheels in Danielle's head turning, trying to put together what Jane had just said.

"NO!? It was her?" Danielle started laughing when Jane nodded. "Holy shit! Seriously? What did she say!?"

"Not much. She remembered me and asked if I had recovered and stuff."

"So nothing about you hitting on her the first time you met?"

Jane sighed, even though she knew the question was inevitable. "No… mostly because I didn't recognize her at first. We were done with the tests and stuff when my head made a comment on the cute dimple… and then it all came crashing back to me. I hit on my new doctor before I had even signed the freaking contract!"

Danielle laughed and hooked her arm around Jane's shoulders while guiding them back to the bar. "Yeah, not the best first impression. Now she thinks you like her."

"Don't say that! Crap, I don't want to start off like this!"

"Then tell her you didn't mean it, or lie and say you don't remember exactly what happened. Tell her I told you about it."

Jane sighed and reached for one of the beers on the counter. "Awesome" she mumbled and shook her head.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** sorry, for the long delay. I was supposed to update on Sunday but I accidentally ruined a very important cable in the house. Yes, the one that gives me Internet...

Anyway, thank you for the feedback :) Let's move on!

* * *

Jane arrived early for her first practice with the team, a whole hour early. She wanted to get to know the rink and prepare herself. It wasn't that she had any doubt about her being good enough. It was more the fact that it had been nearly a month since her last game in Denver, and she wanted to get the feel back. She walked around a bit, getting to know where the different rooms were. The dressing rooms were pretty close to the ice with a gym just a bit further down the hall. With fifteen minutes left before practice, Jane was on the ice skating around. She noticed small things, like the lighting was much better here than in Denver. It seemed clearer.

After her fourth round she suddenly noticed a familiar face up in the stands. Dr. Isles was there with her computer and watching her. Jane quickly looked away and carried on. She still hadn't recovered from their last meeting and tried to avoid her direction. After a few minutes the first of her new team mates entered the ice, it was the goalie. She skated straight towards Jane and joined her on the round.

"Hey. You're Jane, right? The new girl?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Louisa, the goalie… as you probably have noticed already" she smiled.

"Well, the pads kinda gave it away."

Louisa laughed and Jane sighed relieved.

"Anyway, welcome to the team. We're really excited to have you here."

"Thanks. I'll try not to disappoint."

Jane returned the smile and they kept on skating as more girls showed up. Louisa tried to give Jane a brief introduction of them, but Jane knew right away she would need weeks to get the names right. And even if she had the names right she would need time to connect the right names to the faces. It wasn't easy to see who was who when they all looked the same out on the ice.

Their coach, Aaron Landers, were standing in the middle of the ice and keeping a watchful eye as the girls skated around. He was in his mid-40's and had retired from professional hockey 13 years ago. Jane didn't know much about him, only that he had played several years on the same team as her coach back in Denver a bunch of years ago. He was a tall guy, even Jane couldn't match his height and she easily imagined it could be somewhat scary if he decided to be mad at you. From what she had heard from Chris during their meetings, he was a really good coach who knew what he wanted and put in a lot of hours.

Coach Landers blew his whistle when he decided it was time to get started. "Alright, first of all…" He looked for Jane in the group. "Our newest member is here, Jane Rizzoli. Welcome to the team."

The whole team, including coaches, tapped their stick on the ice as a welcome. It was a gesture Jane never really got used to, at least not when it was for her, and she felt the weight of expectations on her shoulders again. She just smiled and lifted her stick as a thank you.

"We're very happy to have you here, and it will be interesting to see what you can bring to the table. I hope the girls will give you a somewhat decent welcome, but you probably know they will have a few surprises for you in the near future, as it usually is with the new ones."

Some of the girls laughed, and Jane put on her fighter face and smirked. "No worries, coach, I bite back."

"That's what I was hoping to hear" he smiled. "Okay, I want to go through our power play today, so get warmed up! Rizzoli, a few words."

The rest of the girls skated off, and Jane made her way over to the coach.

"Okay. Welcome aboard. I hope you have all the information and gear you need right now?"

"Yeah, I do. Lots of new stuff to remember and get used to, but I actually found the rink all on my own so I guess I'm off to a good start."

Coach Landers laughed out loud. "Great! I like your style. So, I have read all about you, just so you know, but what were your power play stats again in Denver?"

"8 goals, 4 assists in the first season, 6 goals in the second" Jane stated proudly. "I love being on the power play unit, easier to move around."

"Damn. Yeah, that's good! Okay. I'll throw you right in there, so you can get used to our power play. I want to see what you can do."

Jane couldn't hide the smile that erupted on her face. She loved these situations, she loved the opportunity to create and… show off basically. "Yeah sure, thanks coach!" She skated off to join the others with a huge smile. But then she caught a glimpse of the sole person up in the stands, and she let out a sigh. She had forgotten all about Maura Isles for a minute.

* * *

It wasn't easy being the new girl and the center of attention for almost everyone. Jane felt she needed to make an impression that fit with their expectations, and tried hard to learn as quickly as possible, but it was tough. More than once did she almost break her stick on the ice after misreading one of the girls and missing out on a pass. After the third time she smashed her stick on the ice, the coach stopped the play and told them to take a break. Jane was exhausted and sweaty. She skated over to the benches for her water bottle and emptied it within seconds. Louisa joined her shortly after.

"You did a nice job out there, Jane."

"Nah" Jane scrunched her nose and shook her head. "That wasn't anywhere near my best." She turned around and leaned against the board.

"Well… that's good…" Louisa chuckled. "I'd be kinda worried if you came in here on your first day and showed us your best."

Jane laughed softly and nodded. "Me too." They stood in silence while catching their breaths, and Jane looked over at coach Landers in the middle of the ice. "So, coach… He seems alright."

"Yeah" Louisa nodded. "He's a pretty alright guy, until you play like shit…"

"Uh oh…" Jane laughed.

Louisa smiled and put down her bottle. "Don't worry, he's just passionate. And sometimes we totally deserve his rants too."

"Good." Jane smiled and let her eyes wander over the seats on the other side. Maura was still sitting there, but her laptop was now closed and put aside. Jane turned to Louisa who turned around. "How about doc, does she usually watch you guys practice?"

Louisa followed Jane's gaze. "Doctor Isles? No. She's only here at practice when someone's getting back from an injury or something."

Jane kept staring, certain that Maura couldn't see it from that distance. It frustrated her that someone could distract her so easily. On her playing field.

* * *

"Rizzoli. Can I have a word with you?"

Jane stopped as she was about to step off the ice after practice. Her coach was looking at her and she turned around and went over to him.

"Nice job today. I've been thinking about which line I think you'll fit in on, and I think you'll be great with Jessie on the second line. She's gotten really good this year, and with her playmaking ability and your sniper skills, I think you'll be a feared duo. We'll try that on the next practice and see how it goes."

"Great! Thanks!" Jane smiled.

Coach Landers chuckled. "Don't thank me, you need to prove you deserve that spot, so it's all up to you."

She smirked from her coach's wording. "Even better. Then that spot is practically mine."

"That's what I like to hear! Now get out of here."

Jane just laughed while she skated off. She took off her helmet as she walked down the hall towards the locker room, smiling for herself all the way. Getting a chance on the second line was exactly what she wanted. As she approached the room, Amy Wallace was about to exit the room and bumped into Jane who lost her balance for a moment.

"Whoops..."

Jane noticed the insincerity in Amy's voice and looked at her. The slightly sly grin on her face made Jane want to say something, but she swallowed whatever words wanted to escape. She had barely met Amy, not really spoken to her besides stating her own name, so she just moved on and found her place in the locker room.

* * *

Maura smoothed her skirt before she entered the dressing room after practice. The music was loud, as it usually was in this room, and she scanned the room quickly to find her object. She found it on the left side of the room, chatting with team captain, Heather who played right defense. Maura walked over to them, ignoring the glances from some of the other girls. She knew they thought she was odd but predictable, which was why some seemed surprised to see her there. She stopped in front of Jane who looked up at her.

"Rizzoli. I just wanted to see how the practice went." Maura didn't really know why she sounded so strict, it wasn't her intention, but somehow she addressed Jane by her last name.

"It went just fine, Doctor Isles" Jane replied professionally.

Maura broke their eye contact and fixated on some strands of hair that was sticking to a sweaty neck. "Well, that's good. I just wanted to make sure…" Her eyes trailed down the right arm as Jane bent down to untie her skates, watching the muscles flex under glistening skin. "That you felt okay… since it was your first practice." She heard how it sounded right away, but still Jane managed to look up at her with a confused look in her eyes before Maura could explain herself. "I mean… after the fall. The concussion."

Jane smiled softly and straightened up. "Yeah, I felt good. No trouble whatsoever."

"Alright. I'm glad to hear that. I'll see you at the game then." Maura spun around and left, leaving Jane utterly confused.

"Concussion?" Heather asked as Maura left.

Jane tore her eyes away from the doctor and smiled. "Yeah, I hit my head right after I got back to Boston. No big deal though, I'm perfectly fine again."

"What did you do? Skate around without a helmet?" Heather teased and pulled the elastic out of her blonde hair.

"No" Jane laughed and took off one of her skates. "Well… sort of." She sat up and leaned against the wall while she looked back at Heather. "I was playing basketball and… I stepped on my shoelaces, tripped and went head first into the post…"

Heather laughed and shook her head. "Oh my god! You can balance on skates but can't stay up on your own feet?"

"I know… my best friend has reminded me of it every single day. So no need for you to do that!"

"We'll see, Rizzoli" Heather winked.

Jane smiled before her eyes scanned the room and the people in it. The days had gone by so quickly since she got the offer of signing with Boston, and being part of a new team felt both terrifying and exciting. She did get along pretty well with Heather after being assigned to the seat next to her in the locker room. They had talked a lot the first few days, and Jane had already a good impression of Heather as the team captain. Heather had just turned 26 and was one of the more experienced player on the team, coming to Boston four years ago from Seattle. Even though they hadn't played a game yet, Jane already had a feeling that Heather would provide stability on the ice.

Jane leaned down to take off the second skate when her eyes landed on Wallace who sat by the opposite wall, and the whole 'accidental' scene from just minutes ago replayed in her mind. Jane didn't know what, but something about Wallace made her seem arrogant. If it had been high school Wallace would definitely be the leader of some sort of click. Jane turned back to Heather. "Hey, where does Wallace play?"

"Right wing, second line" was the answer.

"Of course" Jane muttered under her breath. The spot that now was Jane's. Of course, why should anything be easy?

* * *

Jane left the locker room and was about to head out when she stopped and looked down the hall. Her first meeting with the doctor was still in the back of her mind and the doctor's visit in the locker room earlier had only confused Jane even more. She turned to her right after taking a deep breath and headed towards the doctor's office. It was better to get it over with right away. The door was open and Jane knocked carefully to draw Maura's attention. "Hey doc, sorry to disturb you, but do you have a minute?"

Maura nodded and leaned back in her chair. "Of course. Come in."

Jane didn't even bother to put down her bag. "I… I kinda wanted to apologize for how we first met." She nervously looked at the doctor who was looking back at her. "I didn't mean to make you… uncomfortable or anything…"

A pair of confused eyes made her stop. "I'm sorry, I don't think I'm following you" Maura replied.

"The fall…" Jane swallowed and laughed nervously. "With the whole… dimple thing…" Finally the doctor's face softened, she even smiled and the famous dimple appeared again. Until Jane kept talking. "Yeah, that" Jane chuckled, and then she wanted to hit herself for bringing it up again. "Sorry… I just didn't mean to make it sound like I was hitting on you or anything. I don't even remember it, Danielle, the friend that was with me, told me everything later and then when I saw you again I felt kinda stupid…"

"Jane" Maura interrupted her and softly smiled. "It's perfectly fine. I didn't give it much thought. You had just hit your head and I didn't perceive it as flirting. I was more focused on helping you anyway. You have nothing to worry about."

"Oh…" Jane sighed and allowed herself to smile. "Thanks. And thanks for helping that day. I'm not sure if my friend ever thanked you so…"

"No problem. I was just doing what was expected of me."

Jane nodded and took a step backwards. "Well, thanks anyway. I gotta go, but I'll see you around I guess."

"Yes, of course. And Jane, please tie your shoelaces from now on" Maura smiled.

She should've taken the joke right away, but it took Jane a few seconds before she connected the dots, but then she laughed and nodded. "I will, doc."


	4. Chapter 4

Jane barely had a couple of weeks to get to know her new team and get used to their style. The opening game of the season was just minutes away, and Jane was nervously tapping her fingers on her knee. She had been one of the first who had entered the locker room, and the sight of the jerseys hanging on the wall, all ready to go, had made her smile. It was both scary and exhilarating at the same time having her first game in Boston. Her friends and family were there to see her play, and she knew that Danielle and Frost would remember everything they could use to tease her later. Her biggest fear was to fall on the ice, or get her stick stuck in the door to the bench or the penalty box. But she didn't blame them at all, she knew she would do the same if it were her.

"Ready to go, Rizzoli?"

Heather gave Jane a nudge in the arm, and Jane looked up. "Yeah, I'm ready." She stood up and looked around the room. Most of the girls were already on their feet and looking at her. She knew they were waiting for her to lead the way, it was tradition. Send the new girl out first. Jane was even certain that she would be skating a couple of rounds all alone before they joined her. It had been the same in Denver, and it was something you just had to expect as the newcomer. So Jane took a deep breath and did what was expected from her. She led them down the tunnel to the ice and stopped, waiting for the speaker to announce them.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, here are your Daredevils!"

Lights were flashing and people clapping as Jane jumped on the ice and skated towards the goal. It didn't take long before she heard laughter from the crowd, and she knew she was alone. And the speaker confirmed it for her.

"Let me rephrase that; here's one of your Daredevils!"

Jane smiled behind her mask, glad she had prepared for this to happen.

"And it's your newest Devil, born and raised here in Boston, no 29: Jaaaaane Rizzoli!"

She approached the logo in the middle of the ice and turned towards the benches. All the coaches and staff had smug smiles on their faces. Jane laughed, but decided to play along. She lifted her stick in the air, and for some reason, she patted the logo on her jersey with her fist. The crowd loved it, and she was even sure she could hear Danielle's shrieking voice in between. She was just done with her second round when Louisa entered the ice and tapped her on the back with the stick, followed by the rest of the team.

"Well played, Rizzoli" Heather laughed as she skated past Jane.

Jane looked up towards the rows behind the benches, knowing her family would be there somewhere. And almost up at the top, she spotted her mother and Danielle jumping and waving to her next to her brothers and Frost. All of them were dressed in black and red jerseys, and Jane just knew they all had her name and number on the back. She knew they had Denver jerseys in their closets too, but seeing them in Boston colors made her proud.

* * *

 ** _Loss In Season Opener_**

 _It has been a long summer for any hockey fan, but tonight marked the beginning of the new season for the girls. After adding a couple of new players during the offseason, the Devils have certainly strengthened their team. Especially on the offense with Jane Rizzoli. Her debut on the second line tonight was however not of the successful kind. The Devils lost 1-3 against Oklahoma, Boston's goal scored by Heather Thompson on the power play midways in the second period. Coach Aaron Landers saw a few things that need to be out of the way before the next game._

 _"_ _We definitely wanted to start the season with a win, especially since it was on home ice, but Oklahoma was better than us tonight. They seemed to be better prepared while we were slow and looked like we were still hanging on to the summer. Rizzoli has just had two weeks to get to know the team and our play, and it showed. With a little bit more time I know she will be comfortable with our style and play."_

 _The Devils have four days to recover before San Diego comes to town, and they need to be better prepared if they wish to get a win._

* * *

The worst part about changing teams was the moving. Jane hated it. She hated packing, unpacking, physically moving everything and then find somewhere to store her stuff while looking for a new place. Of course moving back to Boston was easier, she could live at home while she looked for her own place, she didn't have to rent a place to store her stuff, and she already knew the city. As soon as she had signed her contract, she went out looking for places. It took a while to decide if she just wanted to rent or be grown up and buy a place this time. After she decided to buy, everything fell into place. In between practices and games, Jane found a place, made an offer which was accepted and suddenly she was on her way to accept the keys to her new place.

Her mother and Danielle were coming with her and as soon as they were alone in the empty apartment, her mother started decorating in her mind. Jane shared a look with Danielle. She knew they had a very different picture in mind than Angela.

"Oh, I saw a really nice dining table the other day, we should go and see if they still have it. It would fit perfectly by the window" Angela rambled on and pointed as she was talking.

Jane leaned closer to Danielle so her mother wouldn't hear her. "Air hockey table" she whispered and Danielle chuckled.

"And you need a new couch, Jane, we could look at that as well" Angela said as she turned around.

"I have a couch, Ma. I don't need a new one."

Angela tilted her head and placed her hands on her hips. "That old piece of garbage you have had since you were 15? That one is not seeing the outside of your old room!"

"That's not garbage!" Jane objected. "It's a good couch, and it's mine."

"It has more stains than a table surrounded by babies trying to eat blueberries!"

Danielle didn't even try to hold back her laughter. She had witnessed these 'arguments' between Jane and her mother several times before, and it was always funny.

"I'm not buying a new couch, Ma, forget it." Jane shook her head and imitated her mother's pose. Sometimes it was obvious where Jane had gotten her stubbornness from.

"Fine. But you are at least getting a new bed!" Angela marched off to the bedroom.

Jane laughed as she and Danielle followed. "Yeah, I am buying a new bed, Ma. No argument here."

Angela turned around and smiled. "Good. At least we agree on something. And a dresser would fit perfectly here by the door."

"Can't we just go shopping and get it over with?" Jane groaned.

Danielle nudged her friend in the arm. "We have to measure stuff first, Jane. It would be kinda stupid to buy a dresser that was too wide and blocked your door, huh?"

"She's right" Angela chimed in.

Jane glared at Danielle behind Angela's back. "What the hell? I brought you for moral support so why are you trying to get in my mother's will!?"

"Oh, she's already in the will, Jane. Now come help me measure" Angela said and was searching her purse for the measuring tape.

Danielle smirked back at Jane.

Jane shook her head and went over to her mother. "Fine, let's get this over with."

* * *

On the outside, Danielle seemed like a good girl who had it all. 'Cute' and 'sweet' were often words used to describe her. Dark blonde hair just below her shoulders, nice smile and always in a good mood. Jane had more than once teased her about being the poster girl for any mother-in-law. She was engaged at 22, of course with her high school sweetheart, she was from a loving family with two older brothers and was currently studying to become a physical therapist at Boston University. After her own injury it was a logical choice. She had suffered a career ending knee injury early in high school and was forced to give up hockey.

Of course Jane knew Danielle also had a wild side and even an evil side whenever the two of them were hanging out. It was a side of her friend that Jane loved, mainly because that's how they had connected in the beginning. Sarcasm, straight to the point and not taking shit from anyone, especially from Jane, were what made Danielle such a good friend. Before Jane had been drafted by Denver four years ago, they had always spent at least one night a week just watching old Bruins games, or goofing around online, eating snacks and basically do nothing. It was the one thing she had missed the most while in Denver, and the first thing they agreed to bring back when Jane signed her contract with Boston.

"So… how's the dimple lady?"

Jane slowly turned around and gave Danielle a scowling look. "I should never have told you about it…" she sighed.

Danielle sat down on the creaky wooden bed in Jane's old room and crossed her legs underneath her. "If you wanted pure support and genuinely good advices, then no. But you did anyway, and I thank you for that." She had an evil grin on her face. Ever since Jane had told her about the awkward medical test, Danielle made sure to bring it up once in a while, just to annoy Jane.

"Sure… no problem, pleasure was all mine…" Jane mumbled and opened her closet. A five days road trip was coming up that she needed to pack for.

"Yeah, you wish. So is she going on this trip too?"

"Of course. She's the team's doctor."

"Right…" Danielle smiled and watched as Jane basically threw clothes at her bag, obviously hoping it would do the folding and packing for her. "Hey Jane… what are the odds of you getting hurt in the next game?"

Jane sighed and turned around to Danielle. "Really?"

Danielle laughed and managed to get some sort of a smile from Jane. "Come on! Don't tell me you don't have a thing for Doctor Dimple!"

Jane started laughing and shook her head. "Doctor Dimple? Thanks Dani, now I'm probably gonna be giggling whenever I see her! Moron…" She picked up the clothes she had been throwing and put them properly in her bag. "And no, I don't have a… thing for her…"

"Liar, liar, pants on fire. You're a terrible liar, Rizzoli."

Jane gave up the packing and smiled at her friend. "Fine. I think she's fucking hot. And I wouldn't mind going through some more tests with her…"

"That's more like it!" Danielle beamed. "So, what's your next move? Accidentally fall on the ice, maybe you'll trip over your own feet and split your lip?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there won't be a next move. I'm not gonna get myself in trouble again."

It was impossible to miss the slight change of tone in Jane's voice, at least for Danielle. "You think she's trouble?"

"No, not like that" Jane sighed and sat down. "But I'm not gonna do anything. I just got out of a huge mess, I need to stay away from drama for a while. And making a move on someone involved with the team screams for drama."

"Good point" Danielle nodded. "But I still expect a recap of anything that happens on this road trip."

"You don't think I know you? I know you'll beat it out of me if you have to."

Danielle patted Jane's knee and smiled. "I'm glad we're on the same page."

* * *

It was in the middle of the third period when it happened. The Devils were on the penalty kill, and it was Jane's line out on the ice. She had been given the chance because of her skating and speed; she was without a doubt the player with the best chance at a breakaway. It was the only thing on her mind during the short time she was on the ice, break up the play, go one-on-one with the goalie, score a shorthanded and be the hero. At least for a few minutes. It was all she was asking for.

And then she got the chance.

Except she didn't get her stick on the puck, she blocked a shot instead, going down on one knee with one hand on the stick, the other down on the ice trying to block as much as possible. And the shot hit her in the glove. She didn't have time to react to the loose puck in front of her. There wasn't much protection where the puck hit, and she felt it. It hurt like hell, and she honestly believed she had broken something in her hand. She got up on her feet again and saw the puck over on their left side. She carefully grabbed the stick with her left hand again, but she winced from the pain and released it like it was burning.

"Jane, you okay?" Heather shouted behind her.

Jane shook her head while keeping an eye on the play. After some battling along the board, they managed to get the puck out of their zone and could change. Jane was quick to get to the bench and she saw Maura and the coach both waiting for her. They had obviously seen the block and Jane cursed under her breath and sank down on the bench. She dropped her stick and the right glove before Maura was on her left side.

"Let me see" she ordered and proceeded to remove the glove.

Jane let her, and gritted her teeth as her hand was revealed. "Is it broken?" she asked before Maura could even look at her hand.

Maura didn't reply and carefully checked the palm. "Can you move your fingers?"

Jane tried and was glad to see her fingers move, despite the pain. "Can't be broken, right?"

"Doesn't seem like it." Maura continued to gently press at her hand and noticed every time Jane flinched. "We need to ice it, come on." Maura stood up and expected Jane to do the same.

"Can't I play the last ten? If it's not broken? Then you can fix me up after the game?" Jane argued, not wanting to miss the last part of the game.

Maura sighed and folded her arms across her chest. "Of course." She looked down at the gloves on the floor and back up to Jane. "If you can put on your gloves, both hands on the stick and still shoot without making a face, or sound for that matter, then you can play."

Jane saw the dare in the doctor's eyes and took a moment to think. She moved a little on her hand and tried to close it, but a pained groan slipped her lips. "Crap…" She stood up and plowed her way past Maura and marched down the tunnel towards the dressing room. She sat down on the bench and waited those extra seconds it took Maura to grab her gear and catch up with her.

"This sucks!" Jane ripped off her helmet and dropped it on the floor.

Maura kneeled in front of Jane and found an ice pack from her bag.

"If only the puck had hit my leg… or skate, then I would have had a chance for a breakaway. Stupid ass gloves!" Jane sighed and leaned her head against the wall.

Maura looked at her while she placed the ice pack in Jane's hand. She gently wrapped a towel around and took Jane's right hand and placed it on top. "You will get your chance" she said and moved to the bench. "And you blocked a shot that could have turned into a goal."

Jane scoffed and stared at the wall on the other side of the room. She could hear the sounds of the game and it made her itch to get back out.

"It's your third game, Jane. You have plenty of time ahead of you" Maura tried to comfort her.

"You don't get it, doc. You don't get how a stupid injury like this frustrates me." Jane turned to the doctor. "I know what I'm good at, and I know what my job is. I have always scored a lot of goals, even as a kid. I was always selfish with the puck because I wanted to score just one more goal. And it may look stupid to you, but three games without a goal, without a point, is kinda critical to me. I need that first goal to get me going. I need it to show everyone that I can score. It's why I'm here! You can't win a hockey game without scoring goals. And everyone knows that Boston is the team with fewest goals scored. So, no, I don't have plenty of time ahead of me."

"You're right" Maura replied and stood up. "I don't get it" she smiled. "I don't get hockey like you do. So I tend to say the wrong things if I try to get involved." She picked up her bag from the floor and looked down at Jane's hands. "Leave that on for twenty minutes. And come see me back at the hotel. We need to ice it again tonight."

She turned around and walked away from Jane who sat there with her mouth open. "Maura, I didn't mean it like that" she tried to apologize.

Maura stopped and looked at Jane. "It's okay, Rizzoli. I'm used to it." She smiled before she exited the room.

Jane stared at the empty doorway after Maura had left. The last four words rang in her head and she suddenly felt sad for the doctor. She was used to what? Not getting things? Being misunderstood? Saying the wrong things? A loud roar interrupted her thoughts and she sighed. They were losing the game.

The defeated looks on the team's faces didn't get any better as they saw Jane with an ice pack on her hand. One by one they asked how serious it was before they copied her slouched position on the bench. The coach came in, got an update on Jane and said a few words to all of them. He knew nothing helped at that moment. It didn't matter if he said they played well and it was a tough loss. And it certainly wasn't the time to analyze the play. So he kept it short and left the room. They all sulked for a few minutes before they hit the showers. The room was quiet, and Jane looked at Heather on her right side who still hadn't removed her jersey or skates. She always seemed to feel worse than the others after a loss. Jane removed the towel and ice pack from her hand. It had started to swell despite the ice and she could see a bruise taking shape in her palm. Even though it was two days away, she knew the next game would be a painful one.

* * *

Danielle  
 _How bad is it? I saw you never returned after that block._

Jane  
 _Nothing serious. Just really bruised. I should be good to go in the next game._

Danielle  
 _So no fracture? Good… But damn, I was so waiting for a breakaway right there._

Jane  
 _I know… Me too. Any news on my furniture?_

Danielle  
 _We're picking up the bed tomorrow. I have somehow managed to convince your mother to let me find you sheets and towels and that stuff. I still don't know how I did it…_

Jane  
 _Thanks! That's comforting! I really don't want to sleep covered in flowers… What about the most important piece?_

Danielle  
 _The fridge? It's already in place and currently cooling down some Blue Moons and Sam's._

Jane  
 _I seriously don't know how I survived Denver without you. Thank you._

Danielle  
 _As long as you remember me when you're rich and famous I'm not complaining.  
_ _Okay I gotta go. Dinner. Just wanted to check in. Remember the recap!_

Jane  
 _Lol! Yeah… sure. Enjoy dinner._ _I have another date with the ice pack anyway…_


	5. Chapter 5

After two periods of intense hockey, Jane was pretty close to her pain threshold. Maura had done a good job trying to make it at least a little bit better the last 40 hours, but it still hurt. The irony of it all was that the game against the Carolina Pumas turned into a real physical fight. So when the referee signaled for second intermission, Jane sprinted down the tunnel and into the locker room. Maura was already there, waiting for her.

"It really hurts, doc…" She dropped her gloves on the floor and reached for her water bottle.

"I know. Give me your hand" Maura commanded. She placed a heating pad in Jane's hand before moving on, and Jane made a mental not of how Maura already knew it was about the hand and had prepared everything.

The coach came in and gave them all a pep-talk. It was a tied game with one period left, and they had a good chance at winning this one. Jane squeezed gently at the heating pad and felt how it eliminated some of the pain.

A few minutes before intermission was over, Maura returned to Jane, removed the heating pad and started massaging the hand. Jane watched as Maura's fingers worked on the sore muscles, and she smiled for herself. It was already the third time that day she had had the luxury of a massage. "Damn, I could really get used to this" she smirked.

"What? Being injured?" Maura countered and looked up at Jane.

"No! But this…" Jane nodded towards their hands.

"Well, don't get used to this. It won't be a daily routine" Maura smiled.

Jane just smiled while her head offered a lot of replies, but none that Jane wanted to say out loud while the rest of the team was around.

* * *

It was still tied as the minutes went by in the last period. Both teams were changing before a face off in the Boston zone. Jane got on the ice and skated towards Heather who stood in front of Louisa.

"Hey, if you get a chance, flip the puck deep into their zone" Jane said as she skated around Heather and stopped. She saw the confusion on her face.

"But that will ice it…"

Jane smiled and shook her head. "Not if I get to the puck first."

Heather seemed to catch up to Jane's idea and nodded. "Of course… Speedy Gonzales. You sure you'll win that race?"

"Have you seen my legs?" Jane shot back.

Louisa laughed behind them, and Heather nodded. "Fine. You're on."

They all positioned themselves for the face off, and Jane took a deep breath. She had practiced this so many times in her life, there was no need to get nervous. Jessie, the center on Jane's line, won the face off and barely got it to Amanda, who played defense with Heather. Jane kept an eye on the puck, and one eye on the other teams' defense. It was all about timing. And getting possession of the puck long enough to actually do something about it. Heather and Amanda were tied up in the left corner, fighting for the puck. Jessie went over to help out, and Jane was skating nervously around on the right side. She just needed to keep an eye on number 39, and the puck.

The trio down in the corner managed to get the puck out behind the goal, and Jane knew she had to decide. She took the chance and skated up towards the blue line. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed that Heather was looking at her. Then she flipped the puck over everyone and it landed in the middle of the Pumas' zone. Number 39 was quick to turn around and skate after the puck, but Jane was slightly faster. The chant from her bench was just like a whisper as she flew by, and she got to the puck behind the goal line before anyone else. At that moment she realized she hadn't really thought it through. Now what was she gonna do?

She skated behind the goal, to the corner and flipped it along the boards to Jessie who came as support. She held on to the puck until Heather entered the zone, and Jane moved over to the other side. Jessie left the puck for Heather, and skated behind the goal, drawing one player with her. Jane saw it open up a perfect passing line in front of the goal, and she hurried towards the goal post. Heather saw it right away and passed the puck perfectly along the ice. It slid right underneath the stick of number 39, and Jane just had to steer the puck into the net behind the goalie.

It was all in slow motion as Jane saw the puck cross the line, the goalie just a split second too late to stop it, and everything inside Jane exploded. "Yeah!" she yelled and embraced Heather and Jessie who almost threw themselves at her. Amanda and Vicky, the left wing, joined them too and they all congratulated Jane. She suddenly got a bit shy, and made sure to compliment her team. "Perfect play, girls. Just perfect! You guys set it up, I just steered it in."

They all laughed as they broke up, and headed for the bench to celebrate with the rest of the team. Jane led the way, and all she saw were smiling faces, hands in the air, even a huge smile on the doctor's face. Jane laughed and patted the logo on her chest, just like she had done during the introduction in her first game, before she skated past the bench and bumped fists with everyone.

* * *

 ** _First of many?_**

 _After three games with no points, it finally paid off for Boston's newest addition. Jane Rizzoli scored her first goal in tonight's game against Carolina, 18 minutes into the third period and made sure the Daredevils won 2-1 against a very physical Carolina team. Coach Aaron Landers was happy with the team's effort._

 _"_ _It was a tough game tonight, but the girls did a great job out there against Carolina. They are without a doubt the toughest team to play against. But the girls showed real determination and they wanted to win this one badly. And Rizzoli got her first goal, which meant a lot to her. She showed everyone how dangerous she can be with her speed, and hopefully this is just the beginning."_

 _Already in her first game, Rizzoli was given the chance at the second line with center Jessie Perry and left wing Vicky Draper, bumping Amy Wallace down to the third line. From the looks of it, it was a good choice. The trio seems to have good chemistry and according to Rizzoli, it should only improve in the future as they play together._

 _"_ _Obviously it was fun and a relief to finally score that first goal, but you know, it was a team effort. I was at the right place at the right time and Jessie and Heather did most of the work. But this proves that we are learning to play together, we seem to have found chemistry on our line, and that's all that matters. Hopefully we'll continue to produce."_

 _After tomorrow's game in Atlanta, the Devils have some days off before a three home game stretch followed by a new trip, this time to the west, including Rizzoli's old team, Denver Grizzlies._

* * *

Jane dropped her bag right inside the door, followed by her jacket and closed the door behind her. She looked around in the messy but still empty apartment and sighed. Her old couch was the only thing that looked like it was supposed to be there, all the boxes at the end of the living room formed a wall, something that made her exhausted just by looking at it. Of course she knew it would be this way. Playing hockey all over the country didn't fit with unpacking in your new apartment.

Jane glared at the boxes to her left and headed for her bedroom. A brand new bed was there, with simple blue sheets and a bunch of gray towels, neatly stacked at the foot of the bed. She smiled and could picture how her mother had folded them and made sure it looked perfect, straightening one of the corners, tucking in another. Along the wall next to the closet was several bags, containing her clothes. Feeling completely discouraged to start, Jane plopped down on the bed instead. As soon as she felt her body relax, she started to smile. The road trip had absolutely been a success. After the game in Carolina where she scored her first goal, they had flown to Atlanta the next day. Still floating on the feel-good vibes from Carolina, Jane had scored another goal and even assisted one against Atlanta. She was starting to feel like the goal scorer she had always been.

* * *

On Sunday, Jane met Danielle for lunch at their favorite café on Newbury St. As soon as the waitress arrived with their coffees, Danielle reached for hers and raised it. "Congrats on your first goals! May you score more…"

Jane smiled and raised her coffee. "Thanks."

"With Doctor Dimple" Danielle added with a smirk.

Jane laughed and shook her head. They carefully clinked their cups before they started catching up. Jane told Danielle all about her goals, and for once she didn't hold back any feelings. She said exactly how she felt, bragged and gloated as much as she felt like, knowing Danielle wouldn't take it the wrong way. It was a comfort for Jane to have a friend who understood the sport. Danielle was that one person Jane could always go to, that wasn't part of the team in any way and never got bored of hockey talk. Jane knew she could say whatever she wanted, and it would stay between them. She wouldn't be mocked or yelled at, and even though they joked a lot with each other, they both knew when it was time to be serious.

They laughed and chatted throughout their meal, Danielle explaining how high she jumped when she saw the puck crossing the goal line and Jane describing the pain from the blocked shot. It was a normal lunch between the two friends until Jane suddenly froze and stared at something past Danielle.

"Jane, what's wrong?" Danielle asked.

"Huh…" Jane mumbled before she smiled, her eyes still focused on something. "This should be fun" she said and finally looked at Danielle. "A certain doctor is here… No! Don't turn-"

But Danielle had already turned around and Jane rolled her eyes. Maura had seen them and was headed towards them, and as Maura smiled, Jane realized that the guy behind Maura was actually with her and not some random guy that Jane was hoping for. Danielle turned back to Jane as Maura stopped by their table.

"Hi Jane. Nice to see you here!" she smiled.

Jane put on a smile. "Yeah, you too." And then she totally blanked, not knowing what to say.

"How's the apartment coming along?" Maura continued and saved them all from a very awkward moment.

"Oh, I haven't done much yet" Jane replied and didn't see the smirk on Danielle's face. "Too tired when I got home yesterday. But I plan on staying in Boston a while so I guess I'll have plenty of time."

"Of course" the doctor smiled.

Danielle casually cleared her throat and managed to get Jane's attention. "Oh" Jane blurted. "This is my friend, Danielle."

"Hi, nice to meet you" Danielle smiled and shook Maura's outreached hand.

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Maura, Jane's doctor."

Danielle couldn't help the grin that formed on her face. "Yeah I know. And you were the one that helped me when Jane fell, right?"

"Oh, that was you? I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. But yes, that was me."

Jane's eyes travelled from the doctor to Danielle. It was strange to see them interact, especially since she and Danielle had talked so much about this woman.

Maura turned to the guy by her side before she looked at Jane. "This is George, a friend of mine from medical school."

They all shook hands and Jane pretended to be polite. She eyed him closely on instinct. A part of her, most likely her heart, wondered if this was 'just' a friend.

"It was nice meeting you, Danielle" Maura continued. "And Jane… I'll see you tomorrow." And with the wave of a hand she moved on, with George close behind.

Jane forced herself to stay put, not turn around to watch the doctor go.

"Well… that was interesting" Danielle smiled and rested her arms on the table.

"What?"

"Doctor Dimple already knows about your new apartment, even though it's less than a week since you got the keys."

"So what? We talk." Jane shrugged as she pushed her empty cup towards the empty plate at the side of the table. She should've known Danielle would make a big deal out of it.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Thank you so much for all the reviews and follows.  
So, I know some of the chapters are kinda short. I hope this one makes up for it. And the fact that I have at least 25 chapters for this story. Maybe even 30, I'm finishing it these days.  
I found it very fascinating that you were all worried about George ;)  
Hope you enjoy this chapter, it's certainly one of my favorite ones.  
R

* * *

Jane looked towards the benches as she skated by. Maura had been there the whole practice, keeping an eye on one of their injured players who was skating again for the first time in a few weeks. Jane couldn't deny the attraction towards the doctor, not that she had really tried at all since the first day.

"Alright girls, since we're enough for a little game let's go five on five, 1st and 3rd line in black jerseys against 2nd and 4th in red. Let's go!"

Jane, being on the 2nd line skated over to the benches to change jersey. Maura was still there and Jane caught her eyes as she stopped. "You gonna watch us play?" she smiled and pulled off her jersey.

"Yes, I think I will."

Jane reached for her red practice jersey and noticed how Maura's eyes were fixed on her. She smiled. It wasn't the first time Jane got the feeling that the attraction went both ways. She took her time putting on the jersey, making sure to stretch her arms first and loving the feeling of being watched. It wasn't until Maura suddenly turned her head the other way that Jane finally put on the jersey. And as she glided past the doctor, she turned to her and put on a completely normal and innocent face. "Hope you like what you see then…" She didn't have to see the reaction, she could feel the doctor's eyes burning a hole in her back.

Playing against each other at practice was just as serious, but not as hard hitting as a real game. No one wanted to risk getting injured so the hits weren't as hard as normal. But this time Jane got hit pretty hard on her first shift. She was going after the puck in the corner when Amy Wallace, 3rd line right wing, crushed her against the glass. Jane struggled to stay on her feet and turned to say some words to Amy, but she was already skating away. "You piece of shit" Jane mumbled and readjusted her helmet.

It wasn't really surprising, if Jane was honest with herself. Ever since they both knew that Jane was taking Amy's spot on the second line, there had been several 'incidents' between them. A dirty look, accidentally knocking over Jane's stick or a snarky comment.

Jane finished her shift, keeping an extra eye on Amy, before she changed and sat down on the bench. She made eye contact with Maura who seemed a bit concerned. Jane didn't care and spit out some bad words.

The next time Jane jumped on the ice she went straight into the offensive zone, chasing a puck behind the goal. She didn't succeed and had to go back to defend in her own zone. She noticed the others were changing one by one, and Amy got back out on the ice. The puck was tossed into the corner closest to Jane and she went after it. Amy was on her back right away, pushing and shoving to get the puck. Jane braced herself against the board and used her skates to try and get the puck out. Someone came to help, but Jane didn't see who. She was looking down and trying to keep Amy from the puck. Just as a stick got mixed between all the skates, an elbow hit Jane in the chin and she lost focus. In those few seconds it took her to recover, the puck was out of her skates and people moved on. Jane knew the elbow had to come from Amy, and she scowled at her as she got back into position.

Jane's team eventually got possession and they slowed things down to organize. Jane skated up along the board and saw Jessie looking her way, passing the puck towards her. At the same time, Jane saw Amy heading her way, with a lot of speed. She knew right away Amy wasn't going to back down, and Jane barely managed to pass the puck forward before Amy slammed into her. Jane went hip first into the board and flipped over and into the benches, landing on her shoulder with her feet on the bench. As she looked up, Amy was grinning down at her.

"You're getting weak, Rizzoli."

"Fuck you, Wallace" Jane spit back before Amy disappeared.

"Jane, are you alright?" Maura came rushing over to help out, but Jane pushed her away.

"I'm fine!" She stumbled to get back up on her feet, both angry and embarrassed. Being tossed into the benches like a raggedy doll wasn't exactly the skill she had planned to show Maura. Jane jumped over the board and back into the game again, too humiliated to even look at Maura. She tracked down Amy and made sure to give her a shove as she went by.

"Rizzoli! Wallace! What the hell was that?" coach Landers yelled and stopped the play.

Jane kept her mouth shut and stared at Amy, knowing she would come up with some bullshit.

"I'm sorry coach, I couldn't stop. And I didn't think she would be so easy to flip over the board…"

Jane laughed from the innocence Amy tried to pull off. "You're such a liar…"

"Hey!" coach Landers interrupted before Amy could offer a reply. "I don't care. But I don't want hits like that in practice. We don't need an injury right now." He stared at both of them before he skated back to the sideline. "Alright. Let's continue!"

"God forbid his superstar gets injured" Amy mumbled as she skated by, but loud enough for Jane to hear it.

Jane shook her head and tried to ignore it.

The next ten minutes went by without a hit that powerful, but whenever Amy and Jane were on the ice together, they continued to push and shove each other. When Jane pushed Amy down to the ice, Amy answered with a stick to the skates which made Jane tumble down. They were constantly on each other's backs, roughing and pushing the limits. After Amy's stick _accidentally_ hit Jane's chin, Jane was sent off the ice with a cut. She grabbed a towel as soon as she got to the benches and wiped it over her chin.

"Let me take a look at that" Maura said and went over to Jane.

"I'm fine."

"We might need to disinfect it."

"No! I'm fine!" Jane raised her voice and pressed the towel to her chin. "Just stop the bleeding. I'll fix it later."

Maura hesitated for a moment before she caved. "What is going on with you and Wallace?" she asked as she started to work on Jane's cut.

"Nothing" Jane mumbled.

"It sure looks like something." Maura waited for an answer, but Jane remained silent. "Okay, I'm not going to ask…" Maura sighed and finished her work.

Jane wanted to say something, but couldn't. She just watched as Maura walked down to the other end of the bench and sat down.

As soon as they both were on the ice together, Amy was smirking as she approached Jane and threw a look towards the benches. "Now I understand why she's always here. She has to pick you up every time you fall!"

"Well, at least someone offers to help _me_ …" Jane shot back.

Amy laughed and bit her bottom lip. "Yeah, everyone wants to help the superstar… You know, if you spend too much time with that weirdo, she might think you're her friend. Probably first and only friend too."

Jane quickly turned to face Amy, and muttered through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare drag her into this, she has nothing to do with whatever this is, so drop it, bitch."

Amy didn't seem to be too intimidated by a snarling Rizzoli, she was smiling instead. "Oh I think I stepped on someone's toes here…" she practically sung.

Jane breathed heavily to avoid bursting, and tried to pay attention to the game. That didn't work when Amy leaned closer.

"You like her…"

She didn't know what she was doing until her gloves were on the ice and her hands were grabbing Amy's jersey. The rest happened so quickly. Helmets were being ripped off. Someone threw the first punch, followed by another. A sudden pain in Jane's eye, and then her knuckles. She let out all the frustration that had built up since she got back to Boston. Not giving a damn about anything. Amy didn't back down either, and the coach had to physically separate them with the help of others.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" he yelled and grabbed Jane and pushed her further away from Amy. "What's going on with you two?"

"She's pissed because I got her place on the second line! She can't handle it and takes it out on me!" Jane shouted, still staring at Amy.

"And you think you handled this better?" Coach Landers forced her to look at him while he skated towards the benches. "Get out of here and get cleaned up. We'll talk later."

Jane reluctantly got off the ice, but stopped. "Why am I being punished? She started all this bullshit!"

"You think being sent off is punishment, Rizzoli? Just wait…" coach Landers said low and gave her a shove. "Now go. Don't let me see you on the ice again today."

She turned around and marched off towards the locker room, slamming her hand into the wall in anger.

* * *

Maura watched the scenes unfold on the ice and didn't know what to believe. She had never seen any of the girls on the team fight each other before, and she was still in shock when coach Landers called her name.

"Doctor Isles, can you take care of Rizzoli?"

She just nodded with her eyes still on Amy, who was soon approached by a very mad coach. Maura picked up her medical bag and headed towards the locker room with one thought bothering her; what in the world made Jane snap like that?

As she approached she could hear loud noises from the locker room, like someone was kicking something. When she entered the room, Jane was just sitting down on the bench. The hamper that usually stood in the middle of the room, for the players to leave their dirty jerseys in, was now found in the corner. Maura walked slowly over to Jane, not sure if she should say something or not. She put down her bag and took a closer look at Jane. She was bleeding from her lip and nose, and with a cut over her left eye. Her hand was also covered in cuts and blood. Jane was eerily silent, and it made Maura uncomfortable. "Can I clean your wounds?"

Jane looked up at Maura before she nodded slowly. "Can we go to your office first?" she whispered.

Maura saw the plea in Jane's eyes, and just nodded. "Of course."

"Thanks…" Jane took off her skates before they moved to Maura's office. Not a word was said, and Jane sat down on the examination bench as soon as they entered the office. Maura found an ice pack and handed it to Jane who put it on her left hand.

The person in front of Maura didn't look like the Rizzoli she usually saw. Despite how tough Jane looked in all the protective gear and the jersey, she sulked like she had lost her puppy. Maura found a clean cloth and started removing the blood that had trickled down Jane's cheek. She noticed right away that the cut above the eye needed stitches. "You need a few stitches…" she mumbled, mostly to herself.

"Good. I deserve it."

Maura stopped and just stood in front of Jane, watching her. Jane eventually looked up and met her gaze. "I have never been kicked out of practice before" she explained.

"Jane…" Maura dabbed gently around the cut. "From what I have seen, you are a smart player." She ignored the loud scoff coming from Jane who stared down at the floor. "You have so much passion for this game, why do you let it culminate in anger and physical aggression?"

Jane's head shot up and she scowled at Maura. "You're not taking her side, are you?!"

"No! I don't know what happened out there, and what was said, I am not taking anyone's side. But I have seen what this sport means to you, and I just think you could benefit more if you redirected your passion into your skating and stick handling. You would be an even bigger threat to the goalies."

"Easy for you to say, you're not out there, being hated because someone thinks you're better than others" Jane mumbled.

"Well, in this case you _are_ better than others. That is why you play on the second line, and not Wallace."

Jane chuckled and slowly shook her head. "It sounds an awful lot like you're taking sides, doc."

Maura stopped her movements and stared at her fingers that were holding Jane's chin up. "Alright, maybe I am" she smiled. "But my point is that you deserve to be where you are, and that passion can make you better. If you use it wisely."

Jane removed the ice pack from her left hand and raised the hand with the bloody and sore knuckles. "But this made sense out there! She deserved it, and she was asking for it."

Maura retracted her hands and took the injured hand in hers. She grabbed the ice pack from Jane and placed it back on her left hand. "Can I ask what she said to you that made you so angry?"

Jane lowered her head and closed her eyes. "No…" she mumbled. "She just said something about someone I know."

Silence fell around them and Maura let her eyes take in the very surprising sight in front of her. She had expected Jane to be furious about the fight and being sent off. Instead she was sad and embarrassed. The coldness from the ice pack transferred to her own hand, reminding Maura that she was still holding Jane's bruised hand. She let go of the hand and found the suture kit and a pair of gloves. "You proved to your teammates today that you would stand up for them if anything should happen. The passion in you goes further than just the game, it was very clear that you protect the people you love."

This made Jane look up, and Maura stilled her movements. It looked like Jane was about to speak, but nothing but a soft sigh escaped. She turned her focus to the floor, avoiding Maura's eyes. They sat in complete silence while Maura completed her work on the cut.

"How am I supposed to do it?" Jane asked softly as Maura put away the needle and turned her focus to the bruised hand.

"Do what?"

"Use it wisely. Not… fight." Jane paused and released a deep breath. "Cause, we're going to Denver soon. And… someone there knows how to get under my skin."

"By your choice of words I'm assuming this is someone on the team." Maura threw a questionable look at Jane.

"Yeah. We were on the same power play unit."

Maura grabbed a chair and pulled it towards her as an idea formed in her head. She sat down, and had to look up to catch Jane's eyes. "Were you friends?"

"Sort of…"

"Lovers?"

Maura stayed calm, but Jane flinched nervously at the question. "Let's just say she knows how to piss me off…"

Maura reached for a new cloth, still unaffected by their conversation. "And what makes you think she will do that?"

"Oh I know she will!"

Maura looked up at Jane. "Why?"

Jane was clearly uncomfortable and avoided the doctor's eyes. "It doesn't matter, I just know she will put in some extra effort to lay a big hit on me. Or something."

The blood slowly disappeared from Jane's hand, and Maura took a few seconds to study the knuckles that were starting to swell. She reached for the ice pack again and held it against Jane's hand. "It sounds like an affair gone wrong. Was that it? Why you left Denver?"

"No!" Jane was close to growling at Maura. "And that's none of your business!"

"Maybe not" Maura replied in a normal voice. "I'm just trying to help you, Jane."

"Well, you're not doing a very good job, doctor! You're just pissing me off!"

Maura stood up to put her things back in her bag. "Like that girl in Denver will. I'm trying to understand why she would be so mad at you. Was it something that happened between you two? A bad break-up?"

Jane rose to her feet and started pacing around. "Why she is mad at me has nothing to do with this! And what's up with the 20 fucking questions?"

"Why she's mad at you has everything to do with this, Jane. It tells me what kind of anger she has against you. And right now all I can do is guess, was it a romantic affair that went wrong? Did you sleep with her best friend, or her boyfriend-"

"Okay, fine! We had an affair, she wanted more and thought I wanted the same. And I let her believe it. For six months. Happy now?!" Jane held out her hands in total surrender, dropping the ice pack at the same time.

Maura didn't reply, but took a few steps closer while she smiled softly.

"I thought you were on my side…" Jane mumbled.

"I am."

"Nice way of showing it."

Maura picked up the ice pack and handed it to Jane. "You could've just ignored my questions. And stood your ground." She had to hold back a laugh when she saw Jane's face turn from anger and frustration to pure confusion.

"What?" She studied Maura's face for any kind of clues without success. And then it dawned on her, and Jane had to sit down. "You played me."

"I tried to make you react." Maura sat down next to Jane on the bench. "Had you ignored me, I would have stopped asking."

Jane shook her head and a short laugh escaped her lips. "I can't decide if you're Jekyll or Hyde right now…"

"I like to think I can be both at times."

Jane laughed again and it caused a smile on Maura's face.

* * *

"Hi honey!"

Angela smiled as Jane walked into the Robber. But Jane knew that smile would quickly vanish as she approached the bar.

"Oh my god, Janie, what happened to you!?"

And there it was. Jane just shrugged. "It's nothing, Ma." She rested her arms on the bar, thankful for the early winter so she could cover her beat up hand with gloves. "Just unlucky at practice."

"Are you sure? Jane, you have stitches!"

Jane smiled and nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry." No matter how many times she had come home with stitches, or a cut, Angela reacted the same way, like someone had touched a hair on her precious baby, for the first time. "Is Korsak here?"

Her mother shook her head. "No, he's in a meeting. Do you want something to eat?"

"No thanks… I gotta get home and rest. Doctor's order." She gave her mother a reassuring smile, knowing she was relieved when Jane actually did what the doctors told her.

Once she was settled on her couch, she reached for her computer and logged in on facebook right away. She knew Danielle would answer her messages.

Jane  
 _So I think I kinda outed myself today…_

Danielle  
 _How?_

Jane  
 _I told someone about Sarah…_

Danielle  
 _Oh dear… why? Who?_

Jane  
 _I was kinda tricked into it. A bunch of questions and I eventually snapped, like always._

Danielle  
 _Oh dear… Who?_

Jane  
 _Take a wild guess._

Danielle  
 _Doctor Dimple? Shit…._

Jane  
 _Yeah…. Shit…_

Danielle  
 _What did she say? What did you say?_

Jane took a deep breath before she started typing, telling Danielle the whole story from the beginning. Danielle was the only one besides Korsak who knew about Sarah and what had happened in Denver. But Korsak never talked about it and Jane would never bring it up either. She rarely initiated a conversation about Sarah.

Danielle  
 _So Doctor Dimple knows you're gay, she knows about Denver. And why is this a bad thing?_

Jane  
 _Really? This is what you're focusing on? Not that I started a fight with Wallace because she implied that I have a thing for Maura, and now she definitely knows it's true since I attacked her!?_

Danielle  
 _So it's Maura now, huh? ;)_

Jane  
 _Fuck you…_

Danielle  
 _I know you want to honey, but you know I'm taken :)_

Jane  
 _You ass… One day you will be single and having a crush on the biggest star in the WNHL, but I'll be too busy with the rest of the fans to even see you :p_

Danielle  
 _I don't need you to notice me if I'm having a crush on Jones…_

Jane  
 _Why do I bother… can we get back on track here? Or do I need to find a new friend?_

Danielle  
 _Fine. I actually think it's kinda funny that you are focusing on the fact that Wallace knows you're crushing on…Maura (wow, that was weird!), and not that you told someone about Sarah…_

Jane  
 _She hates me, she could tell it to anyone, and probably will… I don't trust her at all! I know Maura won't say anything about Sarah. And what if Maura hears that I'm crushing on her? She's the damn doctor!_

Danielle  
 _Okay, seriously. What do you know about this doctor? Married, straight, gay? Will she freak out if she knows?_

Jane  
 _No idea._

Danielle  
 _Okay, what do you want? You want something to happen between you two? Is it just a crush, are you falling for her, or do you only want to screw around with her?_

Jane  
 _No idea..._

Danielle  
 _You're so damn easy… *sigh* Look, I got a class in ten, but seriously, something is obviously going on. Whether she knows it or not. Look for a ring next time, or a photo on her desk. Ask if she's married. And then you can figure out what this is._

Jane  
 _Fine… but no speech on how you're not supposed to mix business with pleasure?_

Danielle  
 _In this case, no… cause hockey for you is not business, it's just pleasure all the way :)_

Jane  
 _True… Alright, go learn stuff. I have an appointment with my couch as well.  
_ _Thanks btw…_

Danielle  
 _Buy me a beer and we're even. As usual._

* * *

Jane closed the door to the coach's office behind her and sighed. She walked down the hall until she reached the doctor's office and peeked in through the open door. Maura was sitting at her desk, writing, and Jane carefully knocked a couple of times on the door. Maura looked up and smiled when she saw Jane.

"Hi. Come on in."

Jane entered and walked over to the bench without a word. She sat down and waited.

"Did you get some rest?" Maura asked while she put down her pen and closed the file on her desk.

"Yeah…" Jane didn't bother hiding the sadness in her voice.

"Everything okay?" Maura walked over to Jane and stopped in front of her.

"No. Not really. I'm not allowed to play the next game. Coach just told me. My punishment."

Maura put her hand on Jane's shoulder and rubbed it gently. "I'm sorry, Jane."

Jane didn't reply, but let herself drift off for a few seconds. She felt the warmth from Maura's touch and let her eyes go where they wanted to. They followed the neckline of Maura's shirt, up her neck and to the lips, before they went back down to the floor. She knew she shouldn't do it, but it felt good, like a comfort, like that bucket of ice cream that looked so appealing when you were sad.

"I have never been so ashamed in my life." The words slipped out before she managed to stop them.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about, Jane."

"Even though I have always been rough around the edges, I have never missed a game because I started a fight with my teammate! I let a stupid moron get to me, and now I have to explain to my friends and family why I'm not playing the next game." The words poured out of Jane when she first started, and she gave up thinking. "I can't tell Ma I got in a fight, I will never hear the end of it. So now I have to come up with a good story, which she'll believe. This is like Denver all over again…"

They both quickly knew it was never Jane's intention to share those last words. Maura wasn't sure what to say or do, and just stood there looking at Jane who stared intensely at the carpet on the floor. Footsteps out in the hall made Maura turn around and noticed the door was still open. She closed it before she went back to Jane. "Your stitches look good. You could tell your friends and family you can't play because of the wound. Normally I would suggest you stayed away from sports, especially hockey, for a few days. To protect the stitches."

Jane nodded slowly, thankful for the doctor's effort, even if it was a weak explanation. "No one knew about Sarah except my best friend. It was easy keeping it a secret since I was so far away from everyone. And our teammates only knew we were friends."

Maura moved carefully to sit down on the bench next to Jane, afraid she'd scare her from talking.

"She joined the team last November. I had been there over a year already and I was lonely. I didn't really connect with anyone there, I didn't like the city and I missed Boston. So when I realized we actually had chemistry I thought things might change. Except I didn't fall for her. I just wanted comfort, and sex. She gave me that.

I knew she was falling for me, but I was selfish and lied to her, making her believe we were actually in a relationship. And with our schedule we didn't have much time to be a real couple. None of us had family anywhere near, no friends, we were both strangers. Until she started making friends. When we were out with her friends outside the team, she wanted to be a couple, didn't want to hide it. I was still scared that someone would see us, that it would make its way to the team, or even here. It was always the reason for our fights."

A knock on the door made them both jump, and Jane watched as Maura hurried over to open the door. Jane recognized the physical coach and gave a small nod when he saw her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were busy. I'll talk to you tomorrow" he smiled at Maura.

Maura seemed confused for a moment before she smiled back. "Thank you. I will find you first thing tomorrow morning."

"Great. Goodnight doctor, Rizzoli."

"Goodnight, James."

Their words made Jane look at her watch and it was way past Maura's work hours. Jane sighed as Maura closed the door. "I didn't know it was this late, I won't take up your time any longer" she excused herself and jumped down from the bench.

"No, it's okay" Maura interrupted and grabbed her arm. "I'm in no rush."

"Don't you have a husband to get home to?" It came out sounding almost angry.

"Oh, no I'm not married."

Jane looked down at the hand on her arm and forced herself to relax. Danielle's words lingered in her mind, and Jane took a closer look at the hand. No ring. So she wasn't married.

"You can stay, and finish the story if you want to."

Jane hesitated, even though she didn't know why. She had already told most of the story, she might as well finish it. But a part of her was wondering why she was telling Maura this at all. It was a part of her history that she hated, that she never told anyone.

"I'll just listen, if that's what you want. But if you don't want to, that's okay too." Maura gave the arm a reassuring squeeze.

Jane surrendered and sat down again. "When the season ended, she wanted to spend some days together. She offered to come to Boston, and I was running out of excuses. She had mentioned it so many times, tried to make me agree on something, but I always avoided the topic.

One night, we had a huge fight. And everything was pulled out of the dark. She said she thought she wasn't good enough for me, she was tired of hiding. And eventually I told her the truth."

"What did she say?"

Jane looked up at Maura who was covering her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry, it just slipped out…"

Jane surprised herself when she laughed. "It's okay. She was pissed, of course. She yelled at me and called me a lot of names. Then she left and I didn't see or hear from her again until a few weeks later. And I knew right away from the looks of some of our teammates that she had told them. When I came back home for the summer, I talked a lot with my step dad about everything. I told him what happened, and how I hated Denver. And I decided to not renew my contract. I didn't like it because I felt like I was weak, that I was running from problems. Not only Sarah, but everything."

"What do you mean?"

"The last week was hell on earth. Awkward, humiliating, painful, everything… She was still mad and hurt, people talked and I was left out. But still I hated myself because I caved. I was playing for one of the better teams in the league, I had a big opportunity, and I ended it. Because of a girl and because I was homesick."

"Leaving your hometown is never easy, Jane, no matter what age. You shouldn't beat yourself up over it. And you have a new team now, and even if it's not the best team in the league, you still have the opportunity to reach whatever goals you have."

Jane got up on her feet again and smiled. "Yeah… maybe I do. I guess I just need to learn how to ignore things." They both chuckled, and Jane felt her shoulders lowering. She actually felt a bit better after telling Maura everything, and it didn't even scare her anymore. "Thanks doc… I hope you keep this to yourself." She tried to make it sound as nice as possible as she headed for the door.

Maura followed her, and when Jane stopped out in the hall and turned around, Maura smiled. "You can trust me. Anytime, Jane."

* * *

Danielle  
 _So…. How did it go with doctor dim- sorry… Maura? :)_

Jane  
 _Fine. No infection. Stitches out in a few days._

Danielle  
 _That's not what I meant. Come on…_

Jane  
 _Fine… I did it again…_

Danielle  
 _Did what? Seriously, stop making me drag things out of you!_

Jane  
 _I told her about Sarah and Denver. And all that happened. And why I left._

Danielle  
 _Holy shit! What made you do that?_

Jane  
 _I don't know. It just happened. And somehow it felt good. She listened, I talked. And she didn't judge or say stupid things like "you followed your heart"…_

Danielle  
 _So what did she say?_

Jane  
 _That I could trust her._

Danielle  
 _*whistles*_

Jane  
 _And that she's not married_

Danielle  
 _Someone is falli- wait! She said that?_

Jane  
 _Yup._

Danielle  
 _Oh you're so screwed my friend… well, not yet… but hopefully soon ;) You think she might feel the same?_

Jane  
 _I don't even wanna think about it… She's the doctor, I'm the patient.  
_ _NO! Don't say it!_

Danielle  
 _What? That this is how a bunch of "movies" start? :D_

Jane  
 _I said don't! It doesn't matter what she feels, or not… I can't go there._

Danielle  
 _There's no rule against it, so why not?  
_ _Unless…  
_ _Right… you don't want to hurt her. That's it, you and I have a date with a couple of beers in the near future, cause this is too big for emotionless chatting on facebook._

Jane  
 _Whatever you say, your highness…_


	7. Chapter 7

**_A Collective Crash_**

 _The Daredevils lost tonight's game against Maine, 0-3. Maine took the lead already after two minutes and dominated the first period. The Devils were never really close, and clearly missed their two RWs Rizzoli and Wallace who were both a healthy scratch for this game. Coach Landers wouldn't say why the two wings (4 points total in last 2 games) were sidelined tonight. Rizzoli has just played five games and was expected by everyone to start._

 _According to sources, Wallace and Rizzoli got in a fight in practice Monday and were internally suspended one game each by coach Landers. They were both at the game, Rizzoli with stitches over her eye, and Wallace with a broken nose. None of them wanted to make a comment on the rumors._

* * *

Jane stared out the window at the dark skies from her horizontal position on her couch. She took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. They had lost again, third game in a row, and this time the press couldn't blame the lack of her and Wallace. Jane was disappointed with her own effort (she barely called it an effort) and having dozens of questions about the fight thrown in her face after the game wasn't really helping at all. The last three days had been awful in every way; she had to sit through one of her mother's lectures ("you don't solve problems with your hands!"), she had to watch her team lose without her, and then lose again with her, she still didn't understand why she had told Maura about Denver and therefore avoided the doctor. Nothing seemed to be going right, and their upcoming trip that included a game in Denver was all she could think about.

"Hey, stop sulking and drink." Danielle gave Jane's shoulder a nudge and handed her a cold bottle of beer.

Jane accepted the bottle without taking her eyes off the sky. Danielle went over to the opposite end of the couch and swatted at Jane's feet. "Move… and start talking."

"Okay, you need to make up your mind, should I drink or talk?" Jane asked sarcastically as Danielle sat down.

"Both. Drink, then talk."

"About what?"

"Let's see… maybe the hot doctor that you're obviously pining over… or your return to Denver… whatever you like."

Jane scowled at her friend, but didn't really expect anything else than sarcasm and straight to the point with Danielle. Still she hesitated and stalled by taking a long sip of her beer. "Okay, fine…" she finally muttered and sat up, crossing her legs underneath her. "What do you want to know?"

Danielle scoffed. "Really? Everything, my friend!"

"How about we narrow it down to one subject first?"

"Fine. Doctor Dimple."

Jane sighed and took another long sip. "Alright… I guess that's the better of two evils, so go ahead with your questions or whatever."

"You're falling for her, aren't you?"

The words fired like a machine gun, and Jane almost spat out her beer. "What? No, I'm not!" She stared back at Danielle who didn't budge. "I'm not" she repeated. "I'm barely over the whole disaster in Denver…"

"Well, they do say the best way to get over someone is to get-"

"Don't!"

"-under someone new…" Danielle finished with a grin.

"Forget it" Jane sighed. "I'm not falling for her, I'm not gonna sleep with her, end of story."

Danielle didn't seem too convinced and tilted her head. "So why did you tell her about Sarah?"

"I don't know! Okay? I just blurted out the first words, and then it was too late. And yeah, it felt good to tell her, but I don't know why."

"You think she's hot, you tell her about Sarah and Denver…. I'd say you felt good about telling her because you want to get to know her. And you want her to know you. Now, why's that?" Danielle drummed her finger against her chin, faking some deep thinking.

Jane rolled her eyes and didn't bother to answer. She focused on the bottle in her hands instead and started peeling off the label.

"Why don't you just talk to her one day, ask her if she wants to grab a coffee or something. Like friends" Danielle suggested.

"Why would I do that? And why would she want to do that?"

Danielle's head fell back while she groaned loudly. "When did you get so insecure?" she complained when she raised her head again. "Where did my arrogant and cocky friend go? The one who always says how no one can resist the Rizzoli charm? You really can't see why I think you're falling for her?"

"I'm not falling for her" Jane replied firmly. "And you have seen this woman! She's a freaking fashionista, she actually shows up to work in a dress, or a skirt, high heels and shit. No woman like that would be interested in a bum like me."

"Okay, you're starting to sound like you've just lost your kitten or something… it does not look good on you, Jane!" Danielle smiled before a small piece of crumpled paper was thrown at her.

"And why in the hell are we just assuming that she's gay? She's too damn beautiful to be gay" Jane added and placed her beer on the table. "I'm never that lucky."

Danielle crossed her arms over her chest and smiled while she studied her friend. She knew Jane was upset about the game and the fight. "Jane, can I say something without you yelling at me and storming out even though it is your apartment?"

The question got her a firm look. "Do I have a choice?" Jane asked.

"Not really" Danielle smiled. She waited until Jane sighed and seemed to relax. "I get it. Maura is hot. Even I can see that. Hell, I'd even do her if I was gay." Just like she predicted, Jane glared at her. "But listen to yourself, you pout about her being too beautiful to be gay, that you're never that lucky and no woman like that would be interested in you. And at the same time you claim that you're not falling for her. Do you see why I don't believe you?"

Jane was silent and stared at the bottle in her hands. She knew it was a good question, cause her actions lately didn't match her words. "I get it, okay?" Jane sighed. "But I'm not sure I wanna do anything about this stupidly hot doctor. I don't want anything to mess up my game, and at least I learned something from Denver; don't get too involved."

"You're not even gonna agree with me?"

"I don't want to. It's just gonna mess me up right now."

"We're barely a month into the season, you don't think you're already too involved?"

Jane leaned forwards and put her bottle on the table before turning to Danielle. "You know me, Dani. I just want to play. I want to do what I'm good at. Yeah sure, I wouldn't mind some fun with the doctor, but I don't want a replay of Denver. I signed for two years. And it's just been one month."

Danielle seemed to consider it before she nodded. "Okay. I get it. Unless it turns out that she's your soulmate, I'll let it rest for now." She smiled and raised her beer. "Cheers?"

Jane reached for her bottle again and bumped it against Danielle's. "Sure. Although I don't trust you on the whole 'letting it rest' thing…"

"For now" Danielle pointed out and smiled.

* * *

Jane knocked on the open door to Maura's office before she entered. Maura was sitting at her desk but got up when she saw Jane. "Hi Jane."

"Hey doc. Coach wanted you to sign these, he said it was urgent."

Maura took the papers Jane handed to her and quickly looked at them. "Oh, of course." She looked up at Jane again and smiled. "Have you become his messenger now?" she teased.

"Yeah, something like that" Jane chuckled. "He was running around like a headless chicken organizing the trip, so I offered to help."

"Well, that's nice of you. How is your cut by the way, still healing nicely?"

Jane nodded and removed her hat so Maura could see for herself. "Seems like the doctor who stitched me up knew what she was doing" she smiled.

Maura just smiled before she looked closer at the cut over Jane's left eye. She was surprised to see it had survived two games and a certain amount of practice. "It does look good" she mumbled to herself. She took one last look before she pulled back. "And how are you feeling? Are you okay with the trip tomorrow?"

A sigh automatically escaped Jane's lips from the question. In just a few days she would be back in Denver, and it was not something she wanted to think about. "I guess… I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Perhaps not. Do you want to talk about it?" Maura reached out and put her hand on Jane's arm.

"No… not really" Jane answered and looked away. "I don't want to think about it. I need to focus on the Seattle game first."

Maura smiled to show she understood and retracted her hand. They stood in silence for a few moments until Maura spoke. "If you do feel the need to talk on this trip, I hope you know you can come to me. Whatever it might be."

"Thanks… I'll keep that in mind" Jane smiled softly. She was positive she wouldn't take the doctor up on her offer, but it was still nice to know it was there.

"Alright, I'll get those papers signed right away while you're here."

Maura returned to her desk, and Jane took the opportunity to look at the different diplomas on the wall. The doctor had graduated from Harvard and Jane was slightly puzzled by the year. "Hey, doc…?"

"Yes?" the doctor replied without looking up from her papers.

"I know you're not supposed to ask women this… but how old are you exactly?" Jane turned around to Maura when she laughed.

"I am 29. Why?"

Jane raised her eyebrows and let out a puff of air. "Huh… I'd never have guessed" she remarked surprised.

This made Maura lean back in her chair. "You thought I was older?"

"No!" Jane laughed. "No way… but it just didn't make sense. I mean, isn't med school supposed to take forever?"

Maura signed the last paper and gathered them neatly in front of her. "It can take anywhere from 11 to 15 years. It all depends on the field and the extra time you put into it." She watched as Jane obviously was counting and adding in her mind, and it caused her to smile. "I skipped a couple of years" she explained.

"What are you, the female Doogie Howser?" Jane chuckled.

"Should I know who that is?" Maura asked confused.

Jane shook her head when she realized Maura was not familiar with the show. "No, don't worry, it's nothing. But… how did you skip two years of med school?"

"Technically I didn't" Maura said and stood up. She picked up the papers she had signed and walked over to Jane with them. "I skipped two years of high school."

"You skipped two years of high school?" Jane repeated, slightly shocked. "Because… you were in a hurry?"

Maura smiled and shook her head. "No, I was just further ahead of most students my age."

"In other words, you are wicked intelligent…" Jane laughed. "I see. Well, good for you. And good for us! You're a great doctor so…" She shrugged and accepted the papers.

"Thank you, Jane."

She didn't know what else to say, so Jane stood there with a firm grip on the papers and just stared at Maura. The doctor obviously didn't have anything to say either, and Jane finally drew her breath. "I… better get these back" she mumbled and raised her hand.

"Of course" Maura nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Jane turned around and walked out of the office.

 _Yeah, and the next day, and the next… and the next._

* * *

 ** _Seattle Shut Down._**

 _The Devils needed four rounds in the shootout to win tonight's game against Seattle. Heather Thompson scored the only goal in the shootouts, and gave the Devils a much needed win after four straight losses. The captain was happy with the win and her goal, even though it was a bittersweet win._

 _"_ _My whole career started in this city, so coming back to Seattle is always special for me. But scoring the only goal tonight was both strange and an amazing feeling. We've had some tough losses lately so we needed this one."_

 _The Devils continue their road trip on Friday, with Rizzoli's old team, Denver Grizzlies on the other side of the ice._


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** Let's go to Denver, shall we? :)  
Thank you for getting involved in this story. I love reading your reviews, interesting to see what you think and hope will happen.  
I sure hope you're in for a looong ride...

* * *

The one part of being a professional hockey player Jane never could get used to, was all the travelling. Constantly being on a bus, plane, at the airport, it was both boring and exhausting. She knew she shouldn't complain, the women had fewer games and trips during a season than the men's teams. Still she stared out at the gray skies and the planes taking off, and wished they were going home instead of to a new city, especially when that city was Denver. A movement in the corner of her eye made her turn around.

Maura sat down next to her. "You look bored" the doctor smiled.

Jane sighed and leaned back in her seat. "Yeah, waiting isn't really my strong suit, at least not at airports."

" _That_ I have figured out already."

Jane couldn't help but chuckle from the expression on Maura's face; it seemed like she was about to roll her eyes.

"If you don't mind me asking, Jane, what's the story behind your number?" Maura turned towards Jane and tilted her head. "I was thinking about it the other day, and you don't strike me as the kind of person who randomly chooses a jersey number, so why 29?"

It was a common question, one she had answered many times before, but as Jane looked into the doctor's eyes she knew the story would be tougher to tell this time. "When I was in high school, a new kid moved to town in my second year. He was from a small town in Minnesota, quiet and shy, didn't seem like he was comfortable in classes either. Some bullies were on his back right away, and no one managed to stop them. When he found out I played hockey, he started coming to games and practices. We talked a bit and he said he had always dreamed of playing hockey, but his mother couldn't afford the equipment or the classes.

When winter came, I took him down to Boston Common and the Frog Pond, rented some skates and tried to teach him a few things. After new year's the bullies learned about his birthday, February 29th and all hell broke loose. They used it for what it was worth to them, said he didn't exist three out of four years, just like the date. I told him I liked his birthday, it was unique and I said I would change my number to 29 because of that. And I did."

Jane stopped to take in a deep breath to calm herself down. She always struggled with this part of the story. Always.

"He never got to see my new jersey. One day he didn't show up for school. No one knew where he was. At the end of the day, the police were involved, looking for him." She had to stop to fight her emotions. She always choked up at this point in the story. "They found him three days later" she whispered. "In the river. No note, no witnesses, we never found out if it was an accident or not." She was staring at the floor when she stopped talking, and barely noticed the comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Jane" Maura whispered. "But you're really being respectful and thoughtful by wearing his number."

"I can't part with that number now. No way."

"Of course not. And you shouldn't either. Does his mother know?"

Jane looked up and nodded. "Yeah. I told her at the memorial service, even though she didn't know who I was. And when I got drafted I wrote her a letter. She says she watches every game she can."

Maura's hand slowly slid down Jane's arm, and the fingers curled around her forearm. "He would be proud of you. Just like I'm sure his mother is."

Jane looked at the hand that was softly squeezing her arm. "Thanks" she mumbled and breathed out. She didn't dare to move and they both sat in silence for several minutes. Jane looked at the doctor when she needed to end the silence. "What number would you have if you played?"

The question seemed to surprise Maura. "Me? Oh… I am not sure." She stared out into thin air. "I can't even see myself playing let alone picking a number."

"No numbers that have a special meaning to you?" Jane smiled and noticed the hand on her arm was still there.

"Not that I can think of. How do players choose their numbers? Is it usually a special number?"

"Sometimes" Jane said and nodded. "But it can be anything from a birthday to their draft pick."

Maura finally removed her hand from Jane's arm, but without paying much attention to it. "So what would your number be if you went by your draft pick?"

Jane laughed. "Oh, I could never wear my draft pick as a number. I was picked as number 4."

"And what's wrong with number 4?" Maura asked completely clueless.

"I'm from Boston. Number 4 in hockey is sacred. Bobby Orr was number 4. He's pretty much the icon of the Boston Bruins."

Maura lit up like she finally understood what Jane was talking about. "Oh, is the statue outside their arena a portrait of him?"

"Yeah" Jane nodded. "The famous goal that won them the Stanley Cup in 1970. That's him."

"You do know your hockey history it seems. Do you want to tell me more about him?"

Jane wasn't sure if she should take it as a joke or not. "You want to listen to boring hockey history?" she repeated just to be sure.

"Yes, and I don't think it will be boring listening to you."

"Alright" Jane smiled. "But this could take a while."

Maura just held out her hands. "I don't have anywhere else to be."

* * *

"Hey guys, just a few words before we go out." Heather stood up and walked to the middle of the room, drawing the attention from everyone. "As you know, it's Rizzoli's first time back here in Denver. And I know most of you know what that's like; for the player, both teams and not to mention the fans. I know I don't have to ask you to give your best, because you do every day. But this is a really special game for Rizzoli, and damn it, we're the Daredevils! Let's go out there and be those devils!" A few cheers erupted while Heather continue to do her duty as captain. "When we go out there now, we're gonna give our best. In every aspect. Shoot, hit, do whatever it takes to win this one! Do your job, and focus on your shift. Win the battles, so we can win the war. Let's show how proud and lucky we are to have Rizzoli on our team!"

Jane remained silent as she watched the others fire each other up. She was both uncomfortable and humble, not good at dealing with compliments, but still happy for it. They all got up on their feet and Louisa led the way out of the dressing room and to the ice. Jane got a lot of pats on the back and it made her feel a bit better, knowing that she would have the support of her team if anything happened during the game. And Jane was sure she would need it.

She didn't hear much as they skated out on the ice for warmups, but Jane prepared herself for the worst anyway. It was strange being back in Denver, but it was also a confirmation that she had made the right choice by leaving. She kept her eyes on their half of the ice, not once glancing over to her former teammates. The music was loud enough to drown out the audience, and it made her nervous. She knew the speaker would go through the roster soon, she knew her name would be read out loud, but it still caught her by surprise when the music stopped and that familiar voice filled the arena. Heather caught up with her behind the goal and patted her on her back. "How's it going?"

Jane rolled her eyes and turned to Heather as they kept skating. "It's weird. And terrifying" she admitted.

"I know... I was a nervous wreck the first time I went back to Seattle. I was so afraid of messing up, and making a fool out of myself."

"Exactly! I feel like I have to be brilliant today or they'll just laugh at me, thinking it was for the best that I left."

Heather slowed down and stopped, forcing Jane to do a 360 to get back to her side. "I know this is difficult, but you have to distance yourself from them. Don't let them get inside your head. You know how the fans are; they either love or hate their former players, and if they decide to hate them, it's bad. Just don't listen to them."

Jane laughed softly and shook her head. "It's not the fans I'm worried about…"

At the same moment, the speaker raised his voice. "And welcome back, no 29, Jane Rizzoli!"

Jane froze and it seemed like minutes passed before she heard applause combined with some more negative sounds and words. Heather looked to the other side of the ice, and Jane followed her gaze. A few players tapped their sticks on the ice, but most of them just stared at her. The coaching staff on the bench however was clapping and smiling. Heather turned back to Jane with a confused look on her face.

"Yeah…" Jane sighed. "It's a long story and too complicated, but it's probably gonna be a dirty game tonight…"

* * *

Jane faked a smile when coach Landers came over to her right before the game started. She faked a smile to everyone except Heather and Maura. Jane kept her eyes on her gloves as the game started; she was more nervous than she thought, and she wished she had taken Danielle up on her offer to come along. Seeing her old teammates was strange. It felt like years, but it had only been a few months since she left.

The first line cleared the puck and headed towards the benches to change, and Jane stood up, knowing it was her turn. She took a deep breath, and right before she jumped on the ice, she glanced in Maura's direction. The doctor smiled at her with a small nod, and Jane hopped over the board. Her focus was quickly back on the game when Denver changed as well. Jane knew it was the second line coming on, she knew Sarah would be the left wing on that line. It didn't take long before Sarah was headed towards Jane, and Jane prepared herself for whatever Sarah might say. But not a word was said, and Sarah just scowled as she skated by. Jane took advantage of the silent treatment and did her job instead. Even if the hits were a bit harder than usual, nothing special happened and Jane let out a breath of relief when she returned to the bench.

To Jane's surprise, the silent treatment continued all through the first period. Neither team managed to score, despite Denver's 15 shots on goal. Louisa was a wall for the Devils, and kept them in the game and frustrated the Grizzlies at the same time. The second period started just how the first ended, with an offensive Denver dominating the play. On her first shift, Jane had to go straight into defensive position and it was exhausting. But her line managed to keep Denver away from the goal, and she got a well-earned pat on the back when she returned to the bench.

After several minutes of pure Denver domination, everyone was surprised when Boston suddenly scored. No one really understood how a (lousy) shot from the blue line made it past the goalie, even Heather who took the shot was a bit confused. Jane was just as surprised as the rest when she saw the red lamp light up behind the goal, and she burst out into a loud cheer along with the rest of the team. She had decided to play it cool if they were to score against Denver, or even win. But all the excitement around her caught her by surprise and she got up and hugged the girls next to her. As her eyes went back to the ice, she made eye contact with Sarah and it killed the mood instantly. Jane quickly lowered her arms and sat back down, and for a brief moment she hated herself for being so weak and scared when it came to Sarah.

The goal didn't change much in the game. Denver kept pressing on and Boston fought to keep them away. The next time Jane and Sarah were both on the ice, Sarah put an end to the silent treatment she had given Jane. "You should be glad you didn't score that one…"

Jane ignored her and kept focusing on the game. Every time Sarah got possession of the puck, it was Jane's job to get in her way. And when she got the opportunity to lay a big hit on Sarah, Jane didn't hesitate. Sarah didn't see the hit coming until it was too late, and she went tumbling down to the ice. Jane ignored the words from Sarah's mouth and chased after the puck instead. She managed to get it out of their zone so they could change again.

"How's it going?" Heather asked as Jane slumped down on the bench next to her.

"Let's just say I'm glad you scored and not me" Jane replied and rolled her eyes.

* * *

Jane didn't really know what happened after she took the ice for her next shift. One second she was skating to get into position, the next she was flat on her back on the ice and felt like she had been run over by a truck. The crowd cheered and then she saw Heather skating by in full speed, dropping her gloves and basically attacking Denver's no 14. Jane sat up while the referees tried to avoid a fight. She focused on getting up on her feet and towards the bench. Jessie, her lines mate, came over to check on her, but Jane mumbled an angry 'I'm fine' and Jessie backed off. Maura was anxiously pacing by the bench, and Jane sighed.

"Jane! Are you alright?" Maura asked as Jane stepped off the ice and sat down.

"What the hell happened?" Jane noticed her coach yelling at the referee and demanding a penalty, the crowd was still cheering and Heather had a firm grip on no 14's jersey while the referees tried to separate them.

"Number 14 hit you pretty bad. Are you alright?" Maura asked again and kneeled in front of Jane.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

The referees finally managed to loosen Heather's grip and they escorted them both to their respective penalty boxes. "Boston number 5, five minutes for roughing. Denver number 14, two minutes for interference."

"What?!" Coach Landers stepped up on the bench, red in his face. "Are you fucking serious? That was not a clean hit, ref! That's bullshit!"

Jane just sighed and shook her head. They were in for a rough part of the period. Giving up power play goals was one of their biggest weaknesses, and Denver was soon to go on a three-minute power play. And Boston's number 5, Heather Thompson, was by far their best player on a penalty kill.

Jane usually loved playing four on four after both teams had received a penalty each, but she couldn't shake the thought that they were in for a fight in just two minutes. She was torn and couldn't decide if she should give her best while they were still even, or if she should save her energy for the penalty kill. It all culminated in somewhere in between.

Both Sarah and Jane were on the ice when Denver's penalty was up and they were back to full strength. Jane barely noticed Louisa yelling something from the goal about moving their feet, she was too busy keeping track of the puck and Denver's left defense. She knew just how good Denver was on the power play and who to look out for. She knew Sarah was really good at protecting the puck behind the net and could turn an innocent play into a huge scoring chance. Everything she knew made Jane want to be all over the ice, and in a weak moment she yelled at herself for not preparing her team better. She could've told them so many small things that could make a difference in their favor.

Denver moved the puck quickly, from side to side, and Jane was getting exhausted. She had been on the ice for too long. Denver's left defense, number 42, had the puck, and Jane tried to gather strength to do her job. She moved her stick to her right hand and tried to block the passing line along the boards. Just as she did, Denver's 42 moved to the left instead, and Jane had to reposition herself. Stick back in her left hand, cutting off the passing line towards the goal. They moved closer to the middle of the ice, and for just a second, Jane lost her focus. By the time she discovered Sarah had moved to the open space Jane had just left, it was too late. Number 42 passed the puck to Sarah and Jane could only turn around and see how Sarah fired off a shot that slipped through between Louisa's arm and body, and then the place exploded. Sarah seemed calm and merely raised her stick in the air while staring at Jane before she was surrounded by the rest of her team.

Jane cursed and rested her stick on her thighs. A part of her was happy she could finally get off the ice, but that tiny part was out shadowed by the guilt and anger. She had failed and the worst possible punishment was a fact. In the corner of her eye she saw Heather exiting the penalty box and heading towards her. Before she made it over to Jane, Sarah skated slowly towards Jane and was humming. As she reached Jane, she stopped, and Jane looked up.

"Best pleasure you've ever given me, sweetie" Sarah grinned before she skated off.

Jane stared down at the ice, thankful she was too tired to react.

"Come on, Rizzoli, we still have plenty of time" Heather said as she tapped her stick on Jane's leg. "And that was my fault, I shouldn't have lost my cool."

Jane sighed before she followed Heather to the bench. Several of the girls gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder, but Jane hated it. She sat down and leaned her elbows on her knees. Her head dropped and she could feel Maura's burning eyes in her neck.

* * *

 ** _Penalties kill the Devils._**

 _Once again the penalty kill is the Devils' biggest enemy. Rizzoli's first trip back to Denver ended in a crushing 4-1 loss. Even though Boston got an early lead by D Heather Thompson, Denver dominated throughout the game and sealed their victory with two power play goals in the second period, both scored by left winger Sarah Monterey. Neither coach Landers nor Rizzoli wanted to talk about the questionable penalty that led to the first goal, even though it was obvious they felt it was an unfair decision. So we asked team captain Heather Thompson._

 _"That hit was dirty. Enough said. Rizzoli wasn't even close to the puck, and they even had possession. I lost my cool, and I've apologized to the team, but no one hits one of my team mates like that without paying for it. And two minutes was not the right call. However, I take responsibility for my own penalty and the goal. It shouldn't have happened."_

 _Denver's second goal also came on the power play, but this time it was Rizzoli who served a penalty for tripping. The Devils are now going back to Boston where they will face off against New York later this week._


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** I promise things will start to go Jane's way after this one! At least some things... ;)  
And I'm glad my hockey talk has at least convinced one of you. I have to admit I am a hockey nerd so I guess I have picked up something from watching games.  
For those wanting the Devils to crush Denver; the season has barely started. They will have their chance again later :)  
So on we go. This chapter picks up after the game, just so you know. They are still in Denver.

* * *

"Hi Jane. Can I join you?"

Jane looked up from her slouched position in one of the couches in the hotel's lobby. She shrugged her shoulders at Maura who looked at her. "Sure."

Maura sat down and turned to Jane who flicked at the screen on her phone from time to time. "What are you reading?"

Jane sighed and leaned back. "Article about the game."

"Jane, you-"

"I know, I shouldn't. I just can't help it." She turned off the screen and tossed her phone next to her on the couch. "That was a fucked up game." From the corner of her eye Jane could see Maura flinch from the words.

"How do you feel?"

"Fine. Just sore from that hit" Jane replied.

"Oh… that's not what I meant…"

Jane turned to her left and found a nervous doctor.

"I was talking about being back here… in Denver." The words were soft and low.

Jane scoffed. "I hate it. I just wanna go home."

The conversation stalled, but Jane couldn't care less. She picked up her phone and looked at the time. It was still too early to end the night. Maura cautiously moved in the spot next to Jane and cleared her throat. "Jane, can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing, doc…"

"Are you attracted to me?"

The question made Jane look up at Maura, but she quickly looked away. She felt her cheeks burning as she tried to act normal. "W-What? Where the hell did that come from?"

"I was just wondering. After what you told me about Sarah. And we have spent a lot of time together lately… I thought maybe-"

"You know what?" Jane rose to her feet and turned to Maura. "You straight girls are all the same, thinking us gay girls fall like flies around you! Well guess what? I'm not attracted to every single woman I see, I don't fall for everyone I meet. Just like you don't fall for every guy you meet. Is it really that hard to understand?" As her mouth closed, Jane heard the anger in the words she had said, and had really no idea where it came from. She turned and started walking away, heading for the stairs not too far from the elevators. Her anger and confusion blinded her and she didn't see Wallace exiting one of the elevators as she passed.

"Jane, wait" Maura called after Jane. "I didn't it mean it that way."

"Don't bother" Jane said over her shoulder and pushed open the door to the stairs, knowing Maura would not follow her that way.

In the middle of it all, Wallace stood and looked from the doctor to the closing door, and smiled.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Jane entered her apartment. She threw her bag on the floor and slammed the door shut. Her ears and head were tired after a day with headphones and music, anything to block out words and voices on the way home from Denver. Whenever the doctor was in her view, Jane had looked the other way. Too angry or embarrassed, she hadn't figured out which yet. The conversation was still playing in her head and it bothered her that she had reacted the way she did. She wished she had kept her cool instead of exploding, but what was done was done and Jane tried to push it out of her mind. She started to unpack her bag just to do something, but that didn't take long and she was back to her train of thoughts.

An hour later Jane was putting on her gloves and grabbed her hockey stick on the way out of the locker room. Her restless body needed some sort of physical activity and she knew the rink would be empty. Walking down the hall towards the ice, she didn't notice the open door to Maura's office before it was too late. She automatically turned her head as she passed by and saw the doctor by her desk. Maura looked up and briefly caught Jane's eyes.

"Crap…" Jane mumbled to herself and hurried to the ice.

The sound of her skates hitting the ice immediately calmed her down. She skated round after round, enjoying the silence and alone time. Eventually she added a puck and practiced her stick-handling for a long time. She bounced the puck off her stick, over and over again, throwing it higher up in the air for each time. She was so focused on the task that she didn't notice the doctor appearing by the benches.

"Jane?"

She dropped the puck and mumbled a few words without turning around. It was perfectly clear to her who was disturbing her focus, but she really didn't want to face the doctor right now.

"Jane?" Maura tried again, trying to convince herself that Jane hadn't heard her the first time. She knew it was ridiculous. The building was so quiet she could hear the snow melting on the roof.

Jane kept her back to Maura and continued her practice. "I'm busy" she replied.

"Can we talk, please? Just a few minutes."

"I'm busy."

Jane heard the sigh from Maura, but didn't care. If she kept annoying the doctor long enough, she'd might just disappear eventually.

"Can I just explain why I asked if you were attra-"

"No!" Jane cut her off, the word echoing in the big hall. "I don't want to talk."

"Would you prefer if I called you to my office tomorrow?"

Jane didn't respond. She suddenly got the feeling she was back in high school, being called to the principal's office.

"While coach Landers and the whole team is here?"

Jane stopped and stared down at the puck in front of her. Clearly Doctor Isles was going to get her way, and Jane sighed. "Whatever makes you happy" she said, slightly annoyed before taking a shot at the puck. It hit the post, leaving a ringing echo behind.

"It's not about what makes me happy. We just need to talk, but I understand you don't want to right now, so fine, I will see you tomorrow."

Jane stood perfectly still out on the ice, waiting for any indication that the doctor had left. But the rubber mats absorbed every sound the high heels normally would make, and Jane had to turn around eventually to make sure the doctor was gone. When she saw she was alone again she sent off another hard shot towards goal. She didn't miss this time.

* * *

Danielle sighed and shook her head. She crossed her legs underneath her and rested her arms on her knees. "This is turning into one of those soap operas…"

Jane gave her a tilted scowl. "Impossible, we're not related and I haven't slept with her husband/brother/sister/whatever."

"You know what I mean. You're not too stupid to see what's going on. I hope…"

Jane squirmed on the other end of the couch. She knew the relief of finally telling Danielle about the latest events would come with a side portion of reason. "There's nothing going on…"

"Don't even try that with me, Rizzoli. Why didn't you just talk to her today?"

"Because I didn't want to talk to her today. I don't even know why I basically yelled at her in Denver. I don't know what to say to her." Jane looked at Danielle who had a cocky smirk on her face. "What?"

"Of course you know why you yelled at her. You just don't want to admit it."

"Really? So now you know me better than I do?"

Danielle laughed and reached for her soda. "Haven't I always?" She took a sip and waited for an eye-roll that never came. "Seriously, I know why you reacted like that."

"Then tell me, since you seem to have a psychology degree I didn't know about."

Danielle waited a few seconds for dramatic effect before she leaned back against the armrest. "Because you panicked. You're actually terrified of her finding out."

"That makes no sense at all" Jane scoffed. "Yeah, maybe I panicked, but why should I be afraid of her knowing it? It's just a stupid crush."

"No, it's not" Danielle countered and sat up again. "If it had been a stupid crush you would've laughed it off and instead of yelling at her, you would've made it into a joke. Even flirted with her. You panicked because you're afraid of her feeling the same. If she is attracted to you and finds out you're attracted to her, she might act on it. That's what you're afraid of."

Jane stared at her best friend, going over the words in her head. Danielle stared back, not budging an inch until Jane looked away and sighed. "Fuck… I think you're right."

"Of course I'm right!"

Jane let her friend gloat while she tried to let it all sink in. If she was honest with herself, she knew a long time ago that it wasn't just a crush. She had felt drawn to the doctor in a more confusing and indescribable way from the very beginning. She had just never stopped lying to herself about it.

"But Jane… here's the part you don't want to know…"

"There's more?!" Jane whined.

"Yes. Based on your reaction, I think she knows you're attracted to her."

"Okay, now you're pushing your luck. There's no way she knows."

Danielle smiled confident. "Mark my words. When you and her hook up, you should ask her sometime about this. You'll see I'm right."

"Shut up!" Jane growled and gently kicked her friend's leg.

* * *

"Alright girls, that's it for today. Remember the meeting tomorrow at 11. Don't be late" coach Landers warned them before he waived them off.

Jane took off her helmet and pushed back the hair from her face. For some reason practice had been extremely hard that day for her, she felt more tired than ever and longed to get in the shower and get some rest. Heather caught up with her as they skated towards the exit.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just drained" Jane smiled back.

"Oh, Rizzoli!" coach Landers called out and Jane stopped. "I forgot, Dr. Isles wanted to see you before you left."

Jane just nodded and kept the frustrated sigh to herself. She skated to the benches and stepped off the ice, catching up with Heather. She didn't even see Amy Wallace by the wall until they passed her. Amy made kissing noises and winked at her as she walked by, she had obviously heard the coach. Jane just shook her head, biting back the words she wanted to spit out.

"What was that?" Heather asked as they walked down the hall to the locker room.

"Nothing" Jane sighed. "Just Wallace being an ass as usual."

Jane sat alone in the locker room a long time before she managed to get up on her feet. Everyone else had already left, or so she thought. Out in the hall, Wallace was still hanging around and caught Jane heading towards the doctor's office. "Good luck in the doghouse, Rizzoli" she grinned.

Jane glared back. She made her way to Maura's office and took a deep breath outside the closed door. She still didn't know what she was gonna say. Her conversation with Danielle last night had bothered her all morning. Some of the words echoed in her head and it frustrated her. Jane stared at the name on the door and gently knocked.

"Come in."

She stepped inside the office and closed the door behind her. Maura was sitting by her desk with her laptop open. "Hey doc, coach said you wanted to see me?" Jane said a bit too innocent and regretted it right away.

Maura looked up from her laptop and just raised her eyebrows at Jane.

"Sorry" Jane mumbled and rubbed her face.

"Well, I'm glad you came" Maura said and closed her laptop. "How was practice? You seemed to struggle at the end."

Jane hadn't noticed Maura's presence during practice and took the liberty to sit down in the chair in front of the desk. "Yeah, just a bit beat after the road trip."

Maura looked at her and leaned back in the chair. And once again Jane felt like she was back in high school. The doctor was so composed and it made Jane nervous.

"I don't usually listen to any gossip or rumors I might hear around here" Maura started and instantly got Jane's attention again. "Which is why I came to see you the other day."

"Wait, what? There are rumors about me?" Jane cut in.

Maura slowly breathed out before she stood up and moved to the chair next to Jane. "I am afraid so. I heard Wallace talking about you last week. Or actually you and me."

Pieces started to fall in place for Jane and she let out a loud sigh. "Of course… I should've known" she mumbled under her breath.

"Like I said, I usually don't listen to rumors, but with what you told me about Sarah, and not to mention the fight with Wallace, I wanted to talk to you."

Jane laughed sarcastically and shook her head. "This is so messed up."

"How?"

"Wallace hates me. If she had the chance to kick me off the team, I'm sure she would. If she started these rumors, I'm not surprised. She'd do anything to destroy things for me. By the way, what did she say about me? And… you?"

Maura looked away and folded her hands in her lap. "I would rather not repeat the words…"

The picture the unspoken words painted was clear to Jane and she had to look away too. "Yeah, you shouldn't listen to Wallace. She's just full of shit."

"So that's not why you fought her, because she implied you had feelings for me?"

The words took Jane by surprise and she got up on her feet and started pacing. "It doesn't matter. But yeah, she said some mean things about you which were totally uncalled for, and I snapped. But she was asking for it!" she said with anger in her voice. "And who the hell cares, there's nothing going on here and we know that. And I don't have…" She wildly gesticulated with her hands. "And even if I did it wouldn't matter. I'm here to play hockey! Not to find a fucking wife!"

Maura stood up and quickly went over to Jane and placed her hands on her arms. "Jane. Breathe" she ordered.

Jane obeyed and took a deep breath. She couldn't believe she had done it again, lost her cool. And Danielle's annoying voice played in her head.

 _Based on your reaction, I think she knows you're attracted to her._

"Alright, good. Now, can I tell you what concerns me about all this?" Maura asked and removed her hands

Jane only nodded.

"Have you told anyone on the team that you are gay?"

"No. You're the only one who knows" Jane mumbled.

"Are you going to tell anyone?"

"Hell no! After this, and Denver? No way…"

Maura nodded shortly and sat down again. "That's what I thought. I understand Wallace is pushing your buttons right now, and I understand your reaction. But I'd hate to see this becoming an issue for you. I know you want to play, and I know you are a very good player. But I have seen just how much passion you have for this sport, in both good ways and bad. I hope you manage to keep your focus on the right things."

Jane rolled her eyes, knowing the doctor was right, but keeping her focus on the right things was one of her biggest challenges. "I know. Me too."

"Remember how I made you tell me about Sarah?"

Jane smiled and nodded, clearly remembering the way the doctor had pissed her off. "Yeah, vividly!"

"Good. Try to think of this the same way. Wallace only wants to make you react. If you ignore her, it will be better. It's no fun spreading rumors if the people involved don't care."

Jane rolled her head from shoulder to shoulder and didn't really know if she should laugh or cry. She had left Denver because of the mess she created, only to come to Boston and make another mess. "Thanks for telling me. About the rumors."

Maura smiled softly and stood up. Jane's eyes lingered on the smile until she felt a warm touch on her arm. "I'm sorry this is all happening to you" Maura said with sincere sadness in her voice.

Jane just shrugged her shoulders, and Maura's touch disappeared. She knew she was going softer and softer every time she felt that warmth from Maura's fingers.

"I also want to apologize for ambushing you in Denver. That was neither the time nor place to bring this up, and I should have known that" the doctor continued.

 _Based on your reaction, I think she knows you're attracted to her._

"I'm sorry too" Jane uttered quickly to shake the words out of her head. "For… everything I guess."

"So are we okay?"

Maura looked up at Jane with a hopeful, small smile, and Jane found herself mesmerized once again by that dimple that appeared. She forced her eyes away and nodded. "Yeah, we're okay." She put up a smile and looked towards the door, like she was thinking about leaving. Surely the doctor would take that as a hint, because Jane needed to get out of there.

"I'm glad" Maura sighed and once again touched Jane's arm.

 _Don't you have any idea what you're doing?_

"And if you want to talk, or just blow off some steam some time, I hope you'll come by."

Jane bit her lip from laughing, or maybe screaming, from the words Maura chose. "I'll remember that" she chuckled and took a few steps towards the door.

"Great. I guess I'll see you at the game tomorrow then."

Jane put her hand on the handle and nodded. "Sure. Thanks, doc." She quickly opened the door and stepped out. Positive the door was closed behind her, she let out a deep breath.


	10. Chapter 10

Jane was nothing but a huge grin as she came out of the locker room. Danielle was waiting for her out on the hall and was almost as happy as Jane.

"Three fucking goals, Rizzoli! I bow to thee" she teased.

"Shut up" Jane laughed, even though she liked the gesture. She had just played probably the best game of her career and scored three goals in barely 30 minutes. The media had been all over her before she even made it to the locker room, and for once she actually liked the attention. Everyone on the team knew that Jane hated talking to the media.

"I have to admit, I actually doubted you would make that shorthanded goal…" Danielle continued to tease. "I mean, a shorthanded goal to complete the hat trick? Not buying it…"

Jane swatted at Danielle's arm. "You're just jealous cause you can't play. It must suck to know you'll never get your own hat trick" she shot back.

"Ha ha. Funny superstar."

Jane was about to respond when they both heard the sound of high heels coming closer. They looked towards the sound and saw Maura walk towards them.

"Jane! I'm glad I caught you before you left."

Danielle crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Maura stop in front of them.

"Congratulations on the game!" the doctor smiled and pulled Jane into a hug. "You were really great!"

Danielle snickered silently as she watched Jane freeze in Maura's embrace. Jane gave her a firm look that spoke more than any words could in that moment.

"It was just some goals" Jane shrugged as they pulled back.

Maura's hand lingered on Jane's arm, which caught Danielle's attention. "It was more than that, Jane. You single handedly won the game. You need to give yourself more credit."

Jane once again shrugged and watched the warm touch disappear from her arm. Why did something like this have to happen while Danielle was there to soak it all up and annoy her the rest of the night?

"I am really happy for you, Jane. You deserved this" Maura continued with a sincere smile.

"Thanks, doc…" She smiled faintly.

"Now go home and celebrate tonight." Maura added a wink, and Jane had to hide the hitch in her breath with a laugh.

"Sure, I'll do that."

Once again did the doctor gently squeeze Jane's arm before she turned to Danielle. "It was nice to see you again" she smiled.

"Yeah, you bet" Danielle replied smiling under her breath as Maura walked away.

Jane couldn't help but watch Maura leave. She still found it so ridiculously cute that the doctor wore high heels at the rink. It made no sense to anyone but to the doctor herself. Jane's eyes trailed up the legs covered by white jeans, but luckily (or maybe not) Maura wore a long, black coat that hid the backside Jane really wanted to see. She rarely saw her in jeans, she was curious.

The second the thoughts went through her head, Jane looked away and sighed. She had forgotten all about Danielle who was grinning next to her.

* * *

 _Jane Rizzoli turned out to be the difference in tonight's game against New York. She recorded her first hat trick of the season (second of her career) and helped the Devils to a 4-2 win. She scored early in the second and third period, and sealed it off with a shorthanded goal 19 minutes into third. Assisted by Heather Thompson on all three goals, the duo certainly gave coach Landers something to think about._

 _"_ _Yes, absolutely. Their chemistry has been evident since the moment Rizzoli joined us, and we've seen it in practice so many times. They have the same way of reading the game, and always seem to know where the other is going. We wanted to try Rizzoli on the penalty kill with Thompson tonight, and it certainly paid off. They are both terrific players, and I am sure they will be even better with time."_

 _Make sure to tune in to SportsCenter tonight at 10:30 where they will discuss the topic of the day: Could Rizzoli be the key to a playoff ticket next year?_

Jane turned off the radio and the car went silent. She should be excited and smug like she always was whenever the press talked about her with words like that, but tonight was different. In the corner of her eye she noticed Danielle looking at her. Jane turned her head to the window and stared out into the dark.

"She knows, Jane."

"Shut up."

"I'm just saying."

"Just focus on driving instead. I'm not gonna talk about it anyway."

Danielle sighed but turned her attention to the road. Jane had barely told her how the chat with Maura went but had not been in the mood to talk the night before. Danielle didn't try either, she knew it would just make Jane angry. But there was no way Jane was getting away without talking tonight. None of them could ignore the scene that took place just minutes ago. The smile, the hug, the touches and the looks.

It wasn't really rocket science any more.

But revealing this information to Jane could be mission impossible. Danielle knew her friend more than anyone. She knew just how good she was at playing the denial game. Jane was a master at guarding her heart and not let anyone too close.

They drove in silence to Jane's apartment, and neither of them said a word until they were safely inside. Jane went straight to her fridge and grabbed a bottle of water while Danielle waited by the door, almost feeling stupid for blocking Jane's only way out of there. "Okay, I don't care if you want to or not, but we're gonna talk" she said firmly.

"Then talk" Jane said and sat down on her couch.

Danielle was silent while she went over the words she wanted to say and slowly made her way over to the couch. "First of all, she likes you."

Jane flinched when she heard the words, but didn't respond.

"There's no freaking way she's just being friendly or whatever." Danielle sat down and rested her feet on the coffee table and looked at Jane. "She didn't even wanna let go after hugging you. Even you should see the neon signs by now."

Still no response from Jane, not even a movement to indicate she was listening. She just stared out into thin air with the bottle still unopened in her hands.

Danielle carefully nudged Jane with her foot and it at least got her a look. "Something happened during your talk yesterday, and you haven't told me about it. So spill it. You know you will sooner or later anyway." She tried to make it sound like gentle teasing.

Jane looked from her friend to the well-used cushion between them. She knew Danielle was right, she would tell her everything at some point. Jane took a deep breath and exhaled. "Yeah, she knows." She gave up on the water and placed the bottle on the table. "She asked if I got in the fight because Wallace implied I had feelings for her. And I snapped, again. Like in stupid Denver. I didn't even realize what she was saying before I was spitting out words about how I was here to play hockey and not find a wife!" Jane let her head fall against the back of the couch.

Danielle couldn't help the snort that got away.

"Yeah, I know" Jane scoffed.

"I'm sorry, Jane, but it's just so typical you to say something like that. But how did she know what Wallace said before your fight?"

Jane shrugged. "I have no idea. Wallace must've said it last week when Maura overheard her or something. It wouldn't surprise me if Wallace bragged about it."

"What exactly was the rumor?" Danielle continued, making sure to push Jane as far as she could when she had the chance.

"Use your imagination. Maura didn't feel comfortable repeating it, so… take a wild guess."

Danielle didn't even need to guess. "She thinks you're having an affair with Doctor Dimple… What are you gonna do about it?"

Any other situation and Jane would've made some snarky comment, but instead she shook her head. "I don't know. Nothing I guess. I don't wanna let it get in my way right now, I need to focus on my game and not that asshole. I don't care what she thinks, and if people believe her shitty rumors then too bad for them. She's trashing me because I took her place, but I can't help it if coach thinks I'm better than her."

"And you are better than her, that's why you got her place." Jane's sudden chuckle took Danielle by surprise. "What?" she asked.

"You sound just like Maura…" Jane smiled. "She said the exact same thing after the fight."

"Oh god, I hope that doesn't make you attracted to me now…"

"Shut up!" Jane laughed and punched Danielle in the arm. "You're such a moron sometimes."

Danielle smirked. "I have to be to put up with you sometimes."

"True" Jane nodded. "But seriously… thanks for putting up with me. I know I can be frustrating…"

"Takes one to know one, my friend."

* * *

"Hey Jane, you're early."

Jane turned around to see coach Landers and the assistant coach enter the ice. "Yeah, I know" she smiled and waited until coach Landers caught up with her in the middle of the ice.

"Good. I need to talk to you about something. You're up for a challenge, right?"

"Of course" Jane grinned.

Coach Landers rolled his eyes, realizing how stupid his question was. "You see, I just talked to Dr. Isles, and it looks like Sharon's injury is more serious than we thought. She'll be out at least two weeks."

Sharon was one of their long time players who had hurt her knee in the game the night before. "Damn…" Jane sighed, but was excited to see where coach was going with this. She eyed an opportunity.

"Yeah. But to look on the bright side; it's still early in the season. It could be worse. Anyway, Ted and I talked" he continued and looked towards his assistant coach. "And we're shaking up the lines a little bit, which includes you on the first line in Sharon's place."

"Wow… thanks!" Jane beamed.

"Just wanted to let you know before everyone got here. And then we'll see how it goes."

Jane nodded before he gave her a pat on the shoulder and skated away. She almost felt bad for being happy.

Practice was a bit different, but just as tough as usual. Close to the end, Jane was doing her best to focus on whatever the coach told her, but an ache in her neck bugged her. Ever since she got out of bed that morning the neck ached. She knew it was nothing serious, she'd probably just slept wrong, but it still distracted her and she tried to hide it. A sharp blow of a whistle made everyone stop and Jane turned around.

"Rizzoli, what's wrong with your neck?" coach Landers asked and approached her.

"What? Nothing. I just slept wrong last night."

Coach Landers looked at her hesitantly before he whipped his head towards the benches. "Let Doctor Isles have a look at it."

"No, coach, I'm fine!" Jane protested, but the coach just raised his eyebrows. Jane knew what that look meant, so she sighed. "Fine…" she mumbled and skated off.

She mumbled under her breath all the way to the doctor's office. The door was open, as it usually was, and she knocked gently. Maura stood by the book shelf near the door but looked up and smiled.

"Hi Jane, come in." She put down the book she was holding. "Don't you have practice?"

Jane nodded. "Yeah, but coach wanted you to look at my neck."

Maura patted on the examination bench, motioning Jane to sit down. "What happened?"

"Nothing really, just slept wrong" Jane explained and sat down on the bench.

"Let's take a look then, which side?"

Jane pointed to her left side before resting her hands in her lap. Maura stood in front of her by the equipment cabinets and Jane looked up at her when the doctor didn't move. Their eyes met and Maura smiled. "You need to take off some clothes and protective gear."

"Christ" Jane mumbled and rolled her eyes before she smiled. She took off her jersey and the shoulder padding, leaving her in her t-shirt and bra. Maura had moved behind the bench, and Jane waited for a touch that never came. She heard the doctor take a breath and noticed a tentative pause before the words came out.

"Could you take off your shirt as well?"

Jane closed her eyes but removed her shirt. She curled it into a ball and held it in front of her stomach, feeling exposed. Her thoughts went back to the first time she had been shirtless in the same office, and it almost made her laugh. Things had changed for sure. She felt the warm touches along her neck and shoulder. "Sorry I'm all sweaty and stuff."

"Do you think this is the first time I've touched a sweaty hockey player?" Maura countered. She suddenly stopped her movements. "That sounded really bad…"

Jane chuckled, thankful for the distraction.

"Okay, try to relax" Maura continued with her hands still on Jane's shoulder.

Jane took a deep breath and breathed out, fully aware of the soft hands that were touching her bare skin. She stared down at the floor while Maura's hands moved along her shoulder and towards her neck. The tip of a finger barely grazed her neck, causing her to shiver, and she let out a puff of air to conceal it. "Tickled…" she whispered and bit her lip.

"I noticed" Maura replied, barely a hint of professionalism in her voice.

Jane closed her eyes and tried to think of something completely random to make the time go faster. Maybe she wouldn't even notice how close that gorgeous doctor really was. She started going through the current Bruins roster in her head and for a short while she forgot about everything.

* * *

Jane  
 _Hey, you busy?_

Danielle  
 _Nope, what's up?_

Jane  
 _Not much…. I got bumped up to first line today._

Danielle  
 _Really?! COOL! Congrats!_

Jane  
 _It's just for a little while. Injury._

Danielle  
 _But still! That's huge! What did Maura say?!_

Jane  
 _…_ _What?_

Danielle  
 _What did she say when she found out?_

Jane  
 _Are you high?_

Danielle  
 _No, but she must've said something._

Jane  
 _I don't even know if she knows! You're being weird…_

Danielle  
 _So she wasn't at practice?_

Jane  
 _No. And it's not like I tracked her down just to tell her!_

Danielle  
 _And you think I am weird?_

Jane  
 _You're freaking me out here. What the hell is up with you?_

Danielle  
 _You're so easy to mess with these days! I love it!  
_ _But seriously, she doesn't know?_

Jane  
 _I hate you.  
_ _And who cares?_

Danielle  
 _You care. And she would care if she knew. She'd probably throw herself around your neck because she's "so happy for you"._

Jane  
 _What's that supposed to mean?_

Danielle  
 _That she's happy for you I guess…. :p_

Jane  
 _Sigh…_

Danielle  
 _I think she would like to know… Try it. Tell her tomorrow. And if she turns into a huge smile and says how happy she is for you, you owe me a six pack._

Jane  
 _Ass… Not sure I want to talk to you anymore. I think I'll lie down and rest my sore neck instead._

Danielle  
 _Come on! You know I'm right._

Jane  
 _I don't care if you're right or not._

Danielle  
 _Yes you do. But fine, go rest your neck.  
_ _WAIT! WHAT!?_

Jane  
 _Aaaaaand there it is..._

Danielle  
 _When did you hurt your neck? Did you have to see a doctor?_

Jane  
 _Zzzzzz…._

Danielle  
 _Oh come on! You know you want to tell me about it!_

Jane  
 _Actually, I do… cause something about it all bothers me._

Danielle  
 _*grabs popcorn*_

Jane  
 _Nothing serious about my neck, just slept wrong last night. But coach saw it and sent me to her anyway. So I'm sitting there, stripped down to my bra. She checks my neck and shoulder, says it's nothing serious but she'd like to apply heat to get the circulation going. "You can put on your shirt again, if you'd like"._

Danielle  
 _*chokes on popcorn*  
_ _WHAT!_

Jane  
 _*grabs rest of popcorn*_

Danielle  
 _*laughs* Oh my god. If you'd like?! Please tell me you replied with "do you want me to put it back on?"_

Jane  
 _*chokes on popcorn*  
_ _Hell no!_

Danielle  
 _Lol! So what did you say?_

Jane  
 _Nothing! I put my shirt back on and she placed the heating pad around my neck, looks at me and says "Let me know if it gets too hot" and goes to her desk. I had to sit there for fifteen minutes, with a whole bunch of dirty thoughts…_

Danielle  
 _Doctor Isles, you're killing us!_

Jane  
 _Exactly…_

Danielle  
 _But at least you admit to having indecent thoughts about her now…_

Jane  
 _Shut up._


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** Ask, and you shall receive! Well, at least it's something?  
I know the beginning of the story is kinda slow, but I promise it will pick up from now on.  
Guest who asked about why Maura was with the team: I think you will find your answers later on (not really sure which chapter it is).  
And oops, did I forget to mention it was a slow burn? :p  
I truly love your feedback and that you're giving the story a chance. I hope you'll be happy with the rest of the story.  
So updates two days in a row because this one is kinda short.  
R

* * *

Jane had only been on the bike for five minutes when Maura entered the gym along with one of the physical coaches and Samantha, one of their players who had been injured since before Jane joined the team. Jane knew it was a chance that Maura would stop by their mandatory workouts, but she had not prepared for the fashionable doctor in workout clothes. She immediately wished she hadn't seen how the blue tank top clung to every curve. There was no way she'd be able to focus if she had to be around that smooth skin that just begged to be touched.

 _Don't look, don't look, don't look…_

It was easier said than done. Maura had time to make eye contact and smile before Jane somehow managed to look away. And then the minutes started to slow down. Maura and the physical coach got Samantha working with some weights not too far away, and Jane had a perfect view to the doctor. She watched as the duo supervised Samantha, occasionally correcting her and asking questions. And more than once did the doctor catch Jane watching her. Jane lowered her head after the third time and closed her eyes.

Laughter made her look up again. The doctor and the coach were laughing about something, and Jane's eyes were drawn to Maura's smile. She studied the dimple, how the eyes seemed full of life, the way the doctor pushed some strands of hair behind her ear. And when Maura caught Jane's eyes and smiled, Jane realized she was smiling herself. She tore her eyes away from Maura and stared down at her bike's computer screen. Only three minutes had passed and Jane understood she was far beyond the point of help.

* * *

Jane didn't bother to hide the yawn and Heather laughed next to her. It was way too early to be up and especially for breakfast, at least according to Jane's definition. But sharing a room with Heather on their road trips included an early start. Jane didn't really mind, they had become good friends and always had a lot of fun.

"Hang in there, Rizzoli, just two more games on the road before Christmas" Heather teased.

Jane rolled her eyes and chuckled. "Yeah. I can hardly wait!" she teased back.

They were interrupted by someone approaching them, and Jane looked up just as Maura put down her tray on the other side of the table.

"Good morning, girls. May I join you?"

"Yeah, of course Doctor Isles" Heather smiled quickly.

"Morning doc" Jane greeted and tried to stifle a yawn as Maura sat down.

"Tired, Jane?"

"Yeah, too early for me…" she nodded.

Maura just smiled and took a careful sip of her coffee.

Jane drifted off as Heather and Maura started chatting, and without her permission, her eyes slowly made it to the doctor. Even early in the morning she looked stunning; hair pulled perfectly in a loose ponytail, skin so smooth that Jane was certain it would be like touching velvet. Her gaze trailed down to the gray simple, but elegant sweater when Jane realized she was staring again. She quickly looked down at her cereal that had turned soggy and pushed it aside.

They were talking about the game for the following day when Heather asked for Jane's thoughts about the team they were up against. Jane offered her thoughts, and Maura watched her intently every second. It made Jane slightly uncomfortable, almost nervous, until she looked back at the doctor. Maura wasn't just looking at her, she was studying Jane's lips. Jane couldn't help herself and wet her lips with her tongue in a swift move. It caused Maura to flinch and quickly divert her gaze, and Jane smiled.

* * *

 ** _Playing With Fire_**

 _Jane Rizzoli is on fire these days. She added another goal in Boston's win over San Francisco tonight, extending her scoring streak to three games. She now has five goals in the last three games and seems to thrive on the first line._

 _"_ _It's an honor to get to play on the first line, the goals are just a bonus for me. But it feels good to score again and win games, I feel like I'm contributing. The last three wins have meant a lot for the moral and the mood in our group, and it definitely gives us a boost. We want to give our best in the remaining games and finish off strong before the holidays."_

 _The Devils are facing the Los Angeles Suns on Friday before they return back to Boston for the last two games before Christmas. Rizzoli will face her old team Denver in the last game, a game she's looking forward to._

 _"_ _The last game before Christmas is always special, no matter where you play. We're almost halfway in the season, and it gives us an idea of where we're at and will end up. Of course this is extra special for me, but it's also a chance for us as a team to redeem ourselves after that horrible game in Denver. That was not a game we're proud of, at all, and we're going to give everything we've got to make the game a good one for our fans. They deserve that win."_

* * *

Jane made sure she had her key with her before she closed the door to the hotel room. She walked down the hallway and turned the corner to the elevators. Maura was standing there, waiting for the elevator, and Jane had to part her lips in order to breathe. Dressed in black jeans, high black boots and a leather jacket, the doctor looked incredible sexy. Jane couldn't help herself and whistled. "Wow, you look nice! Looks like you're ready for a night on the town."

Maura turned and smiled softly. "Thank you. Just going out to dinner with an old friend of mine."

Jane stopped next to her and slowly inhaled the perfume that quickly surrounded her. "Lucky friend…" she blurted out. The elevator doors opened and saved her from the awkward moment she had steered herself towards. Jane saw the elevator was empty and let the doctor enter first. An idea was starting to form in her head and she smiled for herself and pushed the button for the lobby. She took a few steps backwards, moving so close to the doctor that their arms were touching and then just stood there staring at the doors in front of them.

None of them said a word and Jane made sure their arms kept touching. Maura took a slow and deep breath, causing her arm to press gently against Jane, which did not go unnoticed by Jane. The doors opened in front of them and the sounds of the lobby filled the small space. Maura stepped out first, and Jane enjoyed the view as best as she could. Heather and some of the girls were waiting for her, and Jane tore her eyes away from the doctor's backside. "Enjoy your dinner" she smiled as they parted ways. Maura turned to her with an unrecognizable look in her eyes, and Jane's smile faded.

She had definitely started something, but wasn't really sure what that something was.

* * *

"Jane!"

She looked up for a split second, trying to keep her focus on the puck and everyone around her. Heather had called out her name and was now tapping her stick on the ice. Jane was almost behind the goal and didn't really have time to think. It was a part of the game she loved, not being able to figure out what you're gonna do until you do it. In a quick move she moved her stick in front of the puck and backhanded it towards Heather, hoping it would make it to her. A second later she heard the swoosh of the puck as it flew by the goalie. Four girls in white jerseys let out screams of joy and Jane laughed as she skated towards Heather who was quickly surrounded by her team mates. They cheered and Jane gave Heather a playful punch on the arm. "What the hell, are you trying to be the top scorer of the team, or what?"

"It's your fault! You keep feeding me all these opportunities on a fucking silver platter!" Heather laughed.

They slowly broke apart and skated towards the bench where they bumped fists with the rest of the girls before stepping off the ice. For the second time in the game, Heather had scored after a pass from Jane, and the coach was more than happy. He gave them both a solid pat on the back. "Nice play girls!"

Jane had a huge smile on her face, and as she sat down she glanced at the doctor further down the bench. The doctor smiled softly back.

* * *

When Jane approached the elevators in the lobby later that night, she laughed for herself when she saw Maura standing there along with three strangers. Jane walked up to her without a word, and once again she breathed in the exhilarating perfume. Maura looked at her and smiled. "Great game tonight."

Jane just nodded. She didn't even return the gaze, she just stared at the doors until they opened. Maybe it was the change of scenery, or her success on the ice, it could even be the upcoming break, but Jane felt more relaxed and more herself than she had in a long time. So when they reached the third floor and even more people got in, crowding the small space, Jane found herself in the corner grinning, with Maura right in front of her. She breathed in slowly as she looked down Maura's body. Her arms were bare, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and Jane swallowed.

Had it been three weeks ago, she would've hesitated.

But her arm was a step ahead of her head, reaching out until her fingers made contact with the naked skin in front of her. Maura's breath hitched as Jane's fingers moved slowly down the length of her arm. Or maybe it was Jane's breath that hitched, she wasn't sure. It didn't matter, because she saw the way Maura exhaled nervously. Jane withdrew her hand and shoved her hands in her pocket as the elevator stopped on their floor. As they stepped off, Jane stopped for a moment, wondering what she was supposed to do now. But Maura walked away without ever looking back, and Jane realized she didn't have to worry.


	12. Chapter 12

**_AN:_** Just a heads up; after chapter 14 there will be a break since I'm currently editing the rest of the story.  
Thank you for all your reviews!  
(If someone is wondering about the time on Danielle's messages in this chapter: they are just there to show that a lot of time goes by between each one. I couldn't figure out a better way.)

* * *

 ** _Devils Lose at Home._**

 _After four wins in a row, the Devils completely crashed against Carolina. Despite Rizzoli continuing to produce, they once again suffered from unnecessary penalties. Carolina scored two power play goals before first intermission, and continued to score in the second period. Coach Landers wasn't happy about the game, but will not blame it on lack of focus._

 _"_ _I know personally how easy it is to lose focus on the last games before the holidays. But I also know these girls work hard every day and keep their focus. We did not play good tonight, and the penalties have to take a lot of the blame. I see progress in our penalty kill but we still need to move our feet quicker, think smarter and keep our focus. It's definitely something we're working on continuously."_

 _They will have five days to regain their focus and energy before Denver comes to a visit. In the last game before Christmas, Rizzoli will have to face her old team again. If the last meeting was any indication, it will be another physically tough game._

* * *

The locker room was silent when coach Landers entered. Jane was frozen in her spot, staring down at the floor and biting her lip. She only glanced up when she saw Maura enter in the corner of her eye, but returned her eyes back to the floor.

"I know you're angry, sad, frustrated, pissed off" coach Landers started, but no one looked up. "And you're allowed to be. Let it out before you leave this room. Then go home, relax, play with your dogs, kids, lovers, whatever. Cause it was just a game. We didn't lose anything but a game. If we had won, it wouldn't have made much of a difference. It's not like there was a playoff spot on the line. So be angry and pissed off, but tomorrow we'll start preparing for the next game. Just like usual. So get it out of your system tonight."

He left the room and the silence returned. Jane leaned her head against the wall and looked over at Maura who was still standing by the door, patiently waiting. It was routine. After a loss no one wanted to talk and they didn't care about any injury or cuts they might have. And Maura didn't bother anyone until someone finally returned back to life. This time it was Heather who stood up and yanked off her jersey. "Yeah, we played like shit, let every little setback bother us and we were crushed."

She threw her jersey towards the hamper in the middle of the room. "But coach is right. It was just a game. A meaningless game. Of course it would be perfect to win the last two games before Christmas and start the new year with six wins in a row. But that didn't happen. So get over it. We have one fucking huge game left. Home in Boston, where we're gonna give the fans our jerseys after the game. I want to give mine away and know that I did my very best until the very end so get it out and get it over with. Because you are all gonna be giving your very best in that game."

Heather sat back down and untied her skates. And eventually someone else did the same. One by one they came back to life and jerseys were thrown into the middle of the room. But Jane didn't move. She was still punishing herself, going over the mistakes she had done throughout the game. Yeah, she had scored, but she had also been the reason for Carolina's first goal. During a power play she had made the wrong call and tried to make a pass across the ice. She basically gave away the puck, and it ended with a short-handed goal to Carolina. After that it all went downhill. She let that one incident affect her play, and she never recovered.

"Jane, let it go" Heather encouraged next to her.

She finally snapped out of the haze and sighed. She threw her jersey into the hamper and quickly removed her skates and all protective equipment. Not even remembering that Maura was there, she undressed and headed for the shower. She just wanted to get away. After a quick shower she got dressed almost on autopilot until she pulled her favorite t-shirt over her head. It struck her by surprise when she realized she had no idea where she wanted to go. Her apartment was lonely and cold and was not a place she wanted to be. She sat down and looked at her faded, torn jeans. Usually she would call Danielle. She was in the middle of arguing with herself when Maura stopped in front of her.

"Are you okay, Jane?"

Jane looked up and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Maura didn't prod further, but gently squeezed Jane's shoulder before she walked away. Jane watched as Maura walked out of the locker room and out of sight, still feeling the touch on her shoulder. It bugged her, or rather annoyed her, that every little thing that woman did, left such an imprint on her. She could point to every part of her body that Maura had once touched, and it always made her both confused and terrified.

Without a word she grabbed her bag and marched out of the room. Her amazingly steady feet lead her down the hallway and her mind was focused on only one thing. The one thing she knew for sure she wanted. The doctor stood in front of her desk with a file in her hands and turned around startled as Jane dropped her bag to the floor and closed the door behind her with a fierce shove. Jane saw how Maura's lips parted as she was about to speak, but Jane had already crossed the room and didn't stop until she was mere inches away. She ripped the file out of Maura's hands and threw it carelessly away. Sheets scattered across the floor as Maura looked into Jane's eyes.

"I'm not okay" Jane whispered and slid one hand behind Maura's neck, drowning her fingers in soft curls. She noticed Maura's shaky breath right before their lips met. Jane gripped the hip with her available hand and stepped closer, pushing Maura against the desk. She moved her lips against Maura's, waiting for a reaction. The doctor had been perfectly motionless from the first touch, and Jane's thoughts were a complete chaos. She wasn't sure about anything anymore except the lips against hers.

Lips that were not moving.

Jane was about to let go of the doctor's lips when Maura finally pushed herself closer to Jane, and arms slipped around a slim waist. Maura crashed against Jane's lips with an intensity that had been well hidden.

She wasn't sure if she was happy or sad when they slowed down, making it more about the intimacy than the raw passion, but Jane held onto it. Maura was the one who finally pulled back and gently pushed Jane away. "No… we can't. We can't do this."

Refusing to let her go, Jane grabbed Maura's hand as she was about to slip away. "Yes we can" she argued and closed the distance again.

"Jane…" It was a low mumble as Maura looked down. "Please don't."

The sadness in the voice surprised her, and Jane froze. Something inside her told her to take a step back, and she realized Danielle had been right all along; she didn't want to hurt this woman. Without a word she let go of Maura and walked over to the door. She slowly picked up her bag before she looked back at Maura. "You're wrong." Knowing she wouldn't receive a reply, Jane stepped out of the room and went home.

* * *

Danielle  
Dec 14th 7:39pm  
 _You home?_

Danielle  
Dec 14th 9:12pm  
 _Hey. I know you're online, what's up?_

Danielle  
Dec 14th 9:24pm  
 _What the hell Jane, you ignoring me?_

Danielle  
Dec 15th 11:34am  
 _It's been a whole fucking day! Only excuse for ignoring me is if you're in bed with a certain blonde. But come on, let her catch her breath for a minute._

Danielle  
Dec 15h 2:54pm  
 _Fine. You leave me no choice._

* * *

Even though she was exhausted, Jane stayed behind on the ice after practice. She didn't want to risk running into Maura, or even see her, and she knew the doctor would certainly not be anywhere near the ice. After everyone had left she skated around just enjoying the silence. She went over the kiss, again and again in her mind, trying to understand what sort of mess she had gotten herself into, again. Her emotions went from complete confusion, to sadness and even anger.

She suddenly noticed someone up in the stands making their way down to the benches, and Jane sighed when she recognized her friend. It shouldn't have surprised her, because she knew Danielle didn't give up, especially not when she was ignored by Jane.

"Are you going to talk to me or do I have to beat it out of you?" Danielle asked and climbed over the short wall near the end of the tunnel.

"There's nothing to talk about" Jane replied.

A loud scoff echoed in the hall, and Danielle leaned against the board. "It's like you think I don't know you at all. But fine, I can use my skills to figure this out."

Jane ignored the baiting and kept her focus on the ice.

"It's probably not about the game the other day, cause then you'd be pissed and angry. And you'd be hitting that puck so hard it would go through the wall."

Jane took a shot at the puck just for the fun of it, but Danielle ignored it.

"So I'm thinking this is about something else, and you know I will say it out loud if I have to."

"Just drop it, Dani."

"You're such an ass sometimes. I'm not dropping it. We're gonna talk. You know I don't give up." No reply, and Danielle took a deep breath. "Fine, your choice. If this is about what I think it's about, then you are in way more trouble than you ever thought, or something has happened. Hell, maybe it's both. Something happened and you realized that I was actually right from the beginning, and you're in deep trouble. I have two theories. One: something really happened, and two; you found out something that turned you into a sad, little puppy."

Jane slammed her stick on the ice, almost breaking it. "Will you shut the fuck up?!" she yelled before she rushed over to Danielle. "Are you trying to make me punch you?"

Completely unaffected, Danielle just smiled. "See, this is the Rizzoli I expected to see after the game. So why are you so pissed off two days later?"

Jane stepped off the ice, almost furious, and marched down the tunnel and towards the locker room. "I hate you."

"And?" Danielle fished and had to jog to keep up with Jane.

"And you're a fucking pain in the ass. Meet me at the Robber."

* * *

When she entered the Robber she immediately spotted Danielle in their favorite booth, with a smug smile on her face. Jane sighed, but stopped by the bar first where her mother was blabbing away with a customer. "Hey Ma."

"Oh, hi honey! How was practice?" Angela excused herself to the customer and turned to Jane. "Have you eaten yet?"

Jane smiled for the first time that day. Somehow she'd missed being bombarded with questions before she could even open her mouth to answer the first. "No, why I came here."

Angela leaned her elbows on the counter and smiled. "What do you want?"

"A big bowl of pasta" Jane replied and slightly raised her eyebrows.

Her mother squinted at her. "Empty carbs, Jane."

"Fine… and some chicken and salad. And a soda. Better?"

"Better" her mother laughed and found a bottle of soda right away. "I guess Danielle is waiting for you, so I'll get started."

"Thanks." She smiled and grabbed the bottle before she headed towards Danielle. She sat down, back against the wall and rested her feet on the seat. Not really sure where to start, she stalled by taking a slow sip of her soda. Danielle was patiently waiting, and for a brief moment Jane hated that side of her friend. She could sit there and wait for Jane to talk until the sun went down. So Jane sighed and leaned her head against the wall. "She turned me down."

Danielle's bottle of beer was on its way to her lips, but stopped in mid-air. "What?"

"She shot me down."

Bottle was slowly lowered down to the table again. "After you did what?"

"Kissed her."

"You kissed her?"

Jane nodded, growing more curious about Danielle's calm appearance.

"And she turned you down?"

"Yeah, eventually." A hand reached over the table and slapped her hard on the arm. "Ow, what the hell?" Jane burst out and rubbed her arm.

"Eventually?! Dammit Jane, I'm not gonna spend hours dragging every little detail out of you, so talk!"

The calmness vanished with the blink of an eye, and Jane smiled briefly at the very frustrated face in front of her. But she knew when not to push it, so she started talking and gave a short rundown of what had transpired in the office that day.

"Well" Danielle sighed and leaned back. "She _did_ kiss you back. That's gotta count for something, right?"

"You'd think… I actually tried to kiss her again, but she wouldn't let me. And, you were right, I don't want to hurt her."

"Of course I was right. So what are you gonna do?"

Jane shook her head and exhaled slowly. "I don't know. I probably shouldn't do anything at all. But… damn, I want her. I really want her. And it bugs me that she can just tell me to stop and I listen to her! When have I ever done that? If a girl kisses me back, I certainly won't stop!"

"No arguments here" Danielle said and raised her hands. "But why do you want her? Is it just for fooling around, or are you actually falling for her?"

The question silenced Jane and she stared at her feet. Danielle was patient, knowing that if Jane took her time like that, it would be a serious answer.

"But…" Jane sighed eventually. "How do you really know when you're falling for somebody? You can't just point to one thing and go, 'yeah, I'm falling for her'. It's just confusing."

"I know" Danielle smiled. "It's a mess. You have nothing that clearly states how you feel. But can I help you figure out something, with some questions?"

Jane eyed Danielle over the table. "As long as it doesn't involve questions like 'how do you feel?' then fine."

Danielle took a sip of her beer before she leaned her arms on the table and looked Jane straight in the eyes. "If she showed up at your place one night, would you sleep with her if she wanted it?"

"Yeah" Jane replied instantly.

"Okay. Would you let her spend the night?"

Jane nodded.

"So the next day, what if she wants to stay for breakfast? And suggests she can give you a ride to the rink?"

"I should probably make her breakfast if I let her stay, right?"

Danielle grinned and shook her head. "I'm asking the questions here, Rizzoli."

"Fine" Jane mumbled. "She can stay."

"Okay. So let's say you're at practice, you get hurt and end up in her office. All alone, just the two of you. And she asks if you want to come to her place for dinner that night. Would you go?"

Jane was starting to see where all this was headed, but she couldn't make herself stop answering either, she wanted to know. "You know just as well as I do that I would go…"

"True" Danielle smiled. "But here's the twist. What if she didn't want to sleep with you that night? What if she invited you to dinner because she wanted to spend time with you outside the ice, and take it from there? Would you be okay with it?"

"That sounds an awful lot like dating…"

"Jane… that's not an answer."

"Fine!" Jane swung her feet down from the seat and faced Danielle. "You've made your point. I'm obviously falling for her… happy now?" She sighed and ran her hands over her face.

"Kinda happy" Danielle smiled. "Are you?"

Jane rested her elbows on the table and kept rubbing her face. "Happy that I'm falling for my doctor? No. Happy that I'm falling for Maura…" She stopped and looked at Danielle. "Sort of. But, I mean… I've just created a whole new mess!" Her hands fell down on the table, barely avoiding Danielle's bottle. "I gotta go back there tomorrow and face her. Then the day after that, and the next!"

"Hey, relax." Danielle moved her bottle out of danger before placing her hands on Jane's arms. "It's not like the world just went under. You just kissed her."

Jane scoffed and looked away.

"So what? That has never hurt anyone before. So it might be a bit awkward to see her again, but you can solve it without too much trouble. Tell her you were upset and emotional after the game. She'll probably understand. And remember, it's just one more game before the Christmas break. You'll have plenty of time to figure things out."

"Oh god, I forgot about the fucking game. But sure, let's throw Sarah into this whole shit and just make me more insane." Jane's head slowly fell down to the table.

Danielle smiled when Jane couldn't see her. She had forgotten about Denver coming to town for the last game before the holidays too. "Or just survive this and we'll get completely wasted after the game. No matter the outcome."

"Thanks for the horrible attempt at making me feel better" Jane mumbled into the table. "But I could really use those beers now."

"How about food instead? You might wanna sit up, cause your mother's on her way over here" Danielle said low when she saw Angela emerging from the kitchen.

Jane sat up and sighed. "I should've become a nun instead."


	13. Chapter 13

_"_ _Welcome back to the third period of the last game before Christmas for the Devils. Denver is visiting tonight, making it a special night for Jane Rizzoli. It has been a fast paced game all the way, where Boston has the only goal so far, scored by Jessie Perry. The Devils wanted to make up for the game back in Denver four weeks ago where they were crushed, and so far they have really done their job, Mike."_

 _"_ _Absolutely. They lacked structure back in Denver and let silly mistakes ruin their game. All that is gone tonight. It might be just a normal game in the middle of the season, but they still play like it's the most important game of the year. I love to see how committed they are, everyone's doing their job, not letting mistakes get in the way, they are really showing true strength tonight."_

Every time Jane entered the ice, Maura took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She was constantly on edge, wondering if that next hit would be a bad hit, if Jane would make it through her shift without letting Sarah get under her skin. It had been a rough game just like they all predicted. There was always tension in every battle, and Maura just waited for something to happen. But as minutes went by, Jane made it back to the bench, time after time, and not a scratch was seen.

It turned out to be a game Maura enjoyed watching, despite having her heart in her throat most of the time. Ten minutes had passed in the third period, and she was starting to hope for a win. In that very moment the noise in the building increased as Jane had read the play perfectly and managed to steal the puck from Denver. She went one on one with the goalie, made a few moves before she lifted the puck just over the goalie's shoulder, but under the crossbar.

The place exploded. The girls on the bench jumped up, hugged each other and leaned over the board waiting for Jane and the others. Even Maura jumped up and down and screamed for a moment. Jane jumped higher than most of them, yelling before she turned to the other four girls that came skating towards her and held out her arms, ready to embrace them all. They laughed and clapped each other's helmets before they turned to the bench. Jane patted the logo on her chest, like she had done after all her goals as a Devil, and once again the crowd went wild.

"Damn, it's good to be a Devil!" Jane knew she was arrogant, but still the words slipped out as she did a slow turn in front of the Denver bench while the Boston goal song blasted from the speakers. Jane was full of emotions and adrenaline and didn't really think clearly. She completely ignored the looks from former team mates and concentrated on getting her focus back to the game. The referee was already at center ice, ready to drop the puck, and Jane slowly made her way to her mark. And nothing brought her focus back quicker than Sarah already lined up and ready to go.

Those were the seconds of the game she hated. Having to stand there, shoulder to shoulder with Sarah, just waiting for the puck to drop. Usually Sarah made some teasing or threatening comment, but after her goal, Jane made sure to be the first to speak. "Welcome to hell, baby" she grinned. When she got no response, Jane turned to her. "What? No genius comeback?"

"You want me to say something? Sure… I can say something" Sarah replied and kept her eyes on the referee in front of her. "I could say that if this is hell, you belong here, or that I totally get why you chose a shitty team like Boston."

Jane whipped her head to Sarah. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sarah just smiled as the puck was dropped and she disappeared from Jane's side.

Jane got her feet moving and had to get back into their own zone when Denver got control of the puck. Focusing on the game was difficult and Denver really put pressure on them. Sarah's words were repeating in Jane's head and even though she knew she should let it rest, she was curious.

Denver got a few shots on goal, and on the third, Louisa finally managed to stop the puck and hold on to it. The referee stopped the play, and Jane sighed as she did a slow turn and aimed for Sarah. "What the hell did you mean?"

Sarah smiled as Jane stopped in front of her. "Let's just say I got to meet your doctor yesterday at our practice. Man, I'm surprised you haven't been more injured!"

Jane felt how her blood was starting to boil underneath her skin. "Leave her out of this!" she blurted out.

"I mean, I wouldn't mind staring at that rack all day, every day…" Sarah kept going, ignoring Jane. "Hey, is she single?"

"That's none of your fucking business!" Jane growled and gave Sarah a shove with both hands.

It was almost a win for Jane when gravity seemed to play on her team. The shove caused Sarah's upper body to move backwards, her skates moved forwards and she was close to falling flat on her back, but managed to move one foot at the last second. Someone grabbed Jane's jersey and started pulling her away while she still stared at Sarah.

Maura saw right away that something was brewing out on the ice between the two ex-lovers. The anger was visible on Jane's face when she returned to the bench, and Maura found herself in a dilemma. The lines between work and whatever she and Jane were, had started to blur a long time ago. Now she couldn't even see traces of the lines. She wanted to go over to Jane, try to calm her down, but would she just make it worse instead? She watched how Jane bit her lip and stared down at her gloves and decided to stay put.

* * *

It was just 5 minutes left of the game and there was a short stoppage in the play while a hole in the ice was being fixed. Maura kept an eye on Jane who was back out on the ice, who in turn was watching Sarah carefully. When Sarah slowly approached the Boston bench, Jane wasn't far behind. Sarah stopped by the boards, right in front of Maura and smiled. "Hi. We're not leaving until tomorrow, wanna teach me how to play doctor tonight?"

The girls closest to Maura heard it, she heard it, and Jane heard it. Maura didn't have time to react before Jane crashed into Sarah, almost knocking her down. "Fuck off, Sarah!" Her voice was a serious warning, and Maura wanted to grab Jane and get her out of there, lock her in a room if she had to.

Sarah just shook her head and returned her attention back to Maura. "As you can see, Jane is really jealous…"

The smirk alone was enough to make Maura's blood boil. Jane was quickly up in Sarah's face again, giving her a push and muttering something. A few other players approached them, and Maura sighed. She knew what was coming, but had no way of stopping it. She knew Sarah was doing everything to make Jane throw the first punch, it was obvious from the way Sarah was behaving. She didn't protect herself or push back. If she acted like she didn't want to fight, the referees would only see one person fighting. And they did.

Sarah muttered something that only Jane heard, but it was clearly the final straw. Jane attacked her, throwing a punch to the body before she shook off her gloves and dropped the helmet. Sarah didn't back down and did the same. Crowd was roaring, referees and players tried to step between, but it only caused more roughing as players from both teams stood up for their team mates. Maura turned her back to it all, and wondered how many stitches Jane would need this time.

* * *

"Jane."

She turned around and saw Maura enter the locker room, closing the door behind her. "Get out" Jane snarled and made the laundry hamper once again fly across the room.

Maura looked at Jane who was still on her skates and in full gear. "Let me look at you."

"No! I don't need your help! Just get out!"

Maura didn't listen and walked up to Jane and grabbed her arm, a clean towel ready in her hand. "You're bleeding rather excessively from that cut on your cheek."

"So what?!" Jane yelled and tore away her arm from Maura's grip. "If I don't care, neither should you. Leave me alone instead."

"I can't."

Jane quickly turned around and stared at the courageous doctor. "Oh, great. Something else you can't do" she spat out.

"Don't do this" Maura sighed and took a step closer.

"I'm not doing anything! You told me we couldn't do this, so I'm not!" Jane held out her hands and laughed sarcastically. "And since you obviously know what's best for everyone, tell me doc, can I ever get out of this fucking mess that keeps following me?"

"This isn't about us!"

"The hell it is! Always has!"

"Jane…"

"No! I ended up in trouble because of Sarah. I ended up in trouble because of you! And no matter what I do, it's the wrong thing. But I don't need you swooping in and trying to fix me every time I fall! You can't fix-" Jane suddenly found herself being slammed against the wall.

"Will you shut the hell up!" Maura snapped. Her delicate hands grabbed fistfuls of Jane's jersey and held her against the wall.

Despite the enormous height difference, Jane was scared by the intensity and the brutal force coming from such a small woman who was up on her toes.

"I care! I care about you more than you know! And I care about all the little things that happen to you. I care about your cuts and bruises because I know I can heal them. I care about your past because I see how it still haunts you. I care about all the good things that happen to you because it makes me happy. But you don't know me. So don't you dare think you can judge me!" Maura slowly released the jersey and took a step back. "You want me to leave? Fine, I will leave. But when you realize that that cut won't stop bleeding, you know where to find me."

Jane didn't move a muscle as Maura turned around and left the room. She was completely shocked by the doctor's outburst, by the anger and the words. Her own anger caused by the game was gone. Why did everything always have to explode? She finally sat down on the bench near her and exhaled loudly.

"Oh my god…"

It was the words, those freaking words falling from Maura's lips that hurt the most. She wanted to rewind and make Maura stop talking after those first few words. How did she not see that? She should've known, she should've seen it clearly days ago. "You stupid shit" she mumbled to herself and raised her hands to her face. She had completely forgotten about the cut, and quickly felt the blood against her fingertips. "Ah fuck!" She had to hold back a tear and leaned her head back. Maura was absolutely right, she could fix something on Jane that was broken.

After she was sure she had her tears under control, she removed her skates and stood up. She padded down the hall to the one open door and carefully looked in. Maura leaned against her desk, gripping the edge of it but looking up at her. Jane swallowed and wasn't sure what to say, so she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "I need your help" she whispered.

Maura simply nodded and Jane walked over to the examination bench and sat down on the edge. She stared down at her feet, not daring to look up as Maura walked over to the cabinets to find the items she needed.

"Does your eye hurt?" Maura asked, her back against Jane.

Jane shook her head, but quickly stopped herself. "Not really." She looked up as Maura turned around. Their eyes met before Maura threw a quick glance at Jane's legs and then stepped in between them. "Here, put pressure on that cut" she instructed and put Jane's hand on the cloth that covered the deep cut on her cheekbone.

Jane swallowed, not at all prepared to have the doctor so close again, but did as told. "I must look like a mess" she mumbled to distract her own thoughts.

Maura placed her thumb and index finger on Jane's chin and forced eye contact. "You look like you've been in a fight" she replied softly. As Jane chuckled and closed her eyes, she carefully dabbed the clean cloth around Jane's bloody lips before wiping away the small rivers of blood down Jane's neck.

Jane was silent and patient while the blood was wiped off her face. The thighs touching hers were almost more than she could handle, being able to see Maura's face, and lips, would certainly be too much for her. She didn't even dare to open her eyes when Maura's fingers disappeared from her chin to remove the cloth over her cut.

"You need a few stitches" Maura said softly before she moved to find her suture kit.

Jane mourned the loss of the warm thighs against hers, but the doctor was quickly back in her place. "This could hurt" Maura warned her.

Jane nodded and prepared for the needle she knew was coming. Silence filled the room as Maura closed the cut. Nothing from the world outside could push through the intensity Jane felt around her. She could only hear the steady breathing from Maura.

"All done." Maura removed her gloves and put them down on the tray next to her.

Jane slowly opened her eyes and stared right at Maura's face. "Thanks."

Maura didn't reply, she just looked at Jane before she ever so slowly looked away and started to move. A sense of panic struck Jane and she reached out and grabbed Maura's hand and pulled her back. "I'm sorry. For what I said. I never meant to hurt you." She held on to the hand and intertwined their fingers.

"I know."

"I don't even know why I said it…"

"Heat of the moment."

Jane understood she didn't have to explain further and silenced. She looked up and found Maura staring back at her. Jane wanted to be brave, but insecurity had a hold on her. Maura appeared to be braver when she suddenly leaned forward and captured Jane's lips in a slow kiss. There was nothing rushed about it, no uncontrollable fire, just a gentle kiss that multiplied. Jane didn't want it any other way. She savored the soft lips and let Maura take complete control. None of them noticed the sounds of the game coming to an end, not until a knock on the door tore them apart. Maura took a step back and swallowed. "Come in."

The assistant coach popped his head in and looked at Jane. "The jersey giveaway is about to start." He threw a clean jersey at her.

Jane caught it with one hand and pushed herself off the bench with the other. "Crap, I forgot… I'll be right there. Oh, wait! Could you grab my skates for me?"

He looked down at Jane's feet and just smiled before he ran off to the locker room. Jane quickly changed jerseys while Maura watched her. "I was wondering if you were actually giving away that sweaty and bloody jersey" she smiled.

Jane laughed and picked up the dirty jersey. "Yeah, that would've been a surprise for one unlucky fan."

Out in the hall, the assistant coach walked by and held up the skates. "Got your skates. Get moving" he ordered before he was gone.

Jane sighed and looked over to the doctor. "I gotta go…" She took a step towards the door, but stopped. Her eyes went to the jersey in her hands and then to the door again, obviously unsure of what to do.

"Go, I'll take it" Maura offered and took the bloody jersey from Jane's hands.

Jane smiled before she jogged to the benches. Half of the team was already out on the ice, throwing free stuff to the audience. She quickly put on her skates and joined them. Heather saw Jane coming to her and gave her some t-shirts to give away. "Glad you could make it. You all fixed up?"

"Pretty much" Jane replied. She threw a shirt up into the audience and smiled at the fan that caught it. "By the way…" She slowly turned to Heather. "Did I do any damage…?"

Heather smirked and nodded. "Yeah, she was bleeding, alright. And I'm pretty sure her nose is broken."

Jane smiled as they got rid of the last shirts and went back to center ice.

"A pretty good game to start the holidays with" Heather remarked.

"Yeah. Wait, we did win right? They didn't score while I was gone?"

Heather laughed and shook her head. "Nope. Boston 2, Denver 0. Nothing, zero, nada."

Jane let out a relieved sigh before she noticed how Heather was staring at her. "What?"

"I think Doctor Isles missed a spot. Still blood on your lips. Unless you borrowed her lipstick…"

Jane felt her cheeks burning and casually wiped her lips with the back of her hand. "You caught me" she replied sarcastically. "I borrowed her lipstick. Don't tell anyone." As she looked down on her hand, she realized how true her comment really was.

Heather chuckled and patted Jane on the back. "Secret's safe with me."

* * *

'Shipping up to Boston' boomed from the small speakers in the center of the locker room, and the mood was cheerful. Everyone was chatting and laughing, happy to end the first half of the season with a good game and a win. Coach Landers had already held his usual speech and left the room for the girls to celebrate. No one rushed to the showers eager to get home, they all took their time and relaxed. Heather eventually stood and turned off the music. It got her the attention of everyone. "Well, we certainly shipped Denver out of Boston tonight…" Applause and cheering erupted and Heather waited until everyone was silent again.

"You all know how this goes. Even if it's just the holidays that are coming up and not summer, I get up here and go completely emotional. Tell you how lucky I am to be on this team, and even though we go through rough patches during a season, I'm still proud. And yeah, I am. I'm proud to be a part of this team. I'm lucky to play with you. And I am humbled that you still want me as your captain."

She took a deep breath and smirked. "But fuck that right now, cause tonight was awesome! It was fun, tough and just like a game should be. So what if Rizzoli got in a fight and will most likely get a suspension? She fought her old teammate. And she even scored! How's that for revenge? And Louisa, you fucking deserved that shutout. You were unbelievable in Denver, and you were unbelievable tonight. I'm just glad we all got our shit together and helped you out.

We deserve some days off right now. So enjoy this night, and remember the New Year's dinner. We'll certainly celebrate in style. So girls… indulge in this win for a while, and be ready when January comes around. And like always; it's good to be a devil."

Their motto echoed back to Heather as all the girls stood up and repeated it. A round of applause ended it before the music was turned back on.

* * *

After what seemed like forever, Jane was finally out of the locker room. She headed back towards the ice where Danielle had texted her and told her she was waiting. Danielle sat on the bench, looking out over the ice, and Jane smiled as she approached. "You really miss it, huh?"

Danielle turned around and nodded. "Yeah, on some days it's really bad" she smiled.

Jane sat down next to her on the bench and leaned her arms on her knees. "And on some days, I wish I was doing something completely different…" She stared at the center of the ice.

"What the hell happened out there?" Danielle asked and joined the staring. "And what did she say to Maura?"

"It was so messed up" Jane sighed and shook her head. "Sarah apparently met Maura yesterday and… then she started saying to my face how hot Maura is and asking if she was single…"

"Uh oh!"

"Yeah" Jane laughed and looked towards the spot where she had snapped the first time earlier. "I told her, in my special way, that is was none of her business."

"Special way" Danielle mumbled and smiled. "Wait…" she turned to Jane and rested her knee across the bench. "When was this? Was this what made you fight her?"

"No, it was when I went for a line change after my goal. When she went over to Maura at the bench, she basically hit on her." Jane turned only to be met by wide eyes. "Yup… and when I pushed her away, she pointed out to Maura that I was jealous." Jane silenced and looked at Danielle, waiting for her to say something, but Danielle was just staring back at her.

Finally, Danielle closed her eyes for a second and nodded briefly. "Thank you for punching that bitch in the nose" she sighed.

Jane smiled and turned her eyes down at her feet.

"And she seemed to be bleeding a lot more than you, her team lost, well, they actually played like shit… The ex that she's mad at scored one of the goals… I'd say she had a pretty bad night!" Danielle laughed.

"And I was the one who got to kiss that hot doctor…" Jane added with a smirk.

"What?" Danielle's laughter ended abruptly.

Before she even knew what she was doing, Jane was giving Danielle a detailed recap of the locker room and Maura's office, the fight, the kiss, the goddamn lipstick on her hand… which was a very amusing detail for Danielle of course. As Jane spoke, she felt that same spark of happiness she had felt when Maura kissed her, and it helped smooth over some of the anger and frustration that Sarah caused. Luckily, the Devils weren't meeting Denver again that season, and perhaps it was for the best.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** Let's try this again... If you are looking for a story that is a silky smooth road covered in rose petals to Rizzles, then you better jump ship right now. You will not like my story. My story has bumps in the road, plot twists, heartache and fights. I dare to say it is an accurate portrait of life. It says "drama/romance", if that's not for you, go back now. (I am not saying this isn't Rizzles.)

* * *

Christmas came way too soon like usual, and even though Jane tried to enjoy the days off and the food, the New Year's dinner was always in the back of her mind. The mess had just gotten more complicated and she didn't know how she was gonna survive a whole night with Maura in the same room.

As soon as the traditional Christmas dinners and visits were over, Jane headed out one night with Frost and Danielle. Ever since she promised Frost a night out, she felt bad for never having the time, so she tried to make it up to him with one great night. At least that was her plan. They started out with drinks and dinner before moving on to one of their favorite clubs. Jane kept her eyes peeled for any potential flirts for Frost, and after a while she found someone that both she and Danielle accepted.

"She's cute" Danielle commented as she watched a brunette at the end of the bar with her friends. "Nice smile, not too much make up. I approve."

"Then we all agree" Jane said pleased. "Now it's up to you to establish eye contact, buddy." She nudged Frost's arm.

"I know" he said and looked down the bar towards the brunette. "And she's actually cute, I'm surprised you guys agreed on someone that quickly."

Danielle emptied her glass and waived at the bartender. "You know" she started and turned to Frost. "Jane and I actually work really well together, as long as it doesn't concern either of us."

"Yeah, that usually ends in a battlefield" Jane snickered.

"Exactly. So if we agree on a girl for you, you should listen to us." Danielle ordered a new drink when the bartender came over to them. "And preferably make a move."

Frost laughed and nodded. "Yeah… that's kinda why I have Jane here."

"I know she's your wingman and all" Danielle replied. "But she's not gonna be around forever you know, hell, maybe she even settles down before any of us and then what are you gonna do?"

Jane laughed while she leaned over the bar to look at her friend that was sitting on the other side of Frost. "Okay, Dani, you're getting drunk already!" She reached for Danielle's drink and moved it out of her reach. "Go easy with the drinks if you wanna survive the night. And by the way, you are the one who's already engaged…"

Danielle giggled and looked between Jane and Frost. "Yeah I can't hold my booze like I used to… that's what relationships do to you. You grow up. You can't party anymore. It kinda sucks actually."

Frost decided to move Danielle's drink even further away while he shook his head. "I thought we were picking up a girl for me, not sulking over your lost youth" he teased.

"Oh, right! The girl." Danielle was suddenly back on track and looked over at the brunette. "So, has she noticed you yet?"

Jane smiled and looked down at her drink. "Not with your big head in the way."

"What?" Danielle asked and turned around, apparently not hearing exactly what Jane said.

Frost shook his head but with a big grin on his face.

After a few minutes they all noticed that the brunette had in fact seen Frost and smiles were exchanged. Jane subtly bumped fist with Frost and prepared herself for what she was going to say when the brunette eventually made her way over to them. It somehow worked when Jane hijacked the initial conversation and casually mentioned Frost was a cop. Based on the girl's reaction, Jane had several ways to go. So when the brunette got up from her chair and made her way over to them, Jane, Frost and Danielle pretended not to see it and started a random conversation.

"Hi, excuse me" the brunette said as she stopped behind Danielle.

The trio turned around and Frost smiled. "Hi."

"I am sorry for staring, but you just seemed so familiar."

Frost's smile died instantly when he noticed the brunette was looking at Jane, and not him. He turned to Jane and gave her a look of despair.

Jane, who had not been looking at the brunette, needed a slight nod from Frost in the brunette's direction to look at her. The brunette was in fact looking at her, and Jane was caught off guard. "Who, me?"

"Yes" the brunette smiled. "It feels like I've seen you somewhere or met you before."

"I…uh…" Jane looked desperately for help from Danielle, but her best friend just grinned back at her. "I don't think we've met" Jane explained and looked at the brunette. Was this woman really using a line that awful on her?

"Wait, you're a devil!" the brunette blurted out. "You're Rizzoli." She seemed happy to remember the name.

Jane chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I am."

"That game against Denver was so good. You were really great in that game."

"Thanks" Jane smiled and tried to stop herself from laughing when she saw Frost roll his eyes.

The brunette stepped closer. "So…" She looked at Jane from top to bottom before smirking. "You're single, right?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Jane saw Frost and Danielle smiling, but Jane was a bit uncomfortable. She moved in her seat and swallowed. "Look, I'm… really not looking for anything right now."

"Neither am I" the brunette shrugged, but her smile said otherwise. "Can I just buy you a drink?"

Jane sighed silently and looked over at Frost and Danielle. This wasn't how the night was supposed to go. She was there to find a girl for Frost, and if that failed, she had decided to just have fun with her friends. A girl hitting on her was not even in Jane's thoughts. She felt like she needed advice or permission from her friends and tried to convey it with a simple look. But both her friends were already smiling at her and winking. Jane looked back at the brunette, who was patiently waiting for her response, and smiled. "I appreciate the offer, but like I said, I'm not looking for anything except a night out with my friends."

"So is that a yes or a no to the drink?" the brunette winked.

Jane chuckled again, with no idea how to respond.

"No strings attached, okay? It's just a drink." The brunette stepped closer and waived at the bartender. "I mean, how often do I get the chance to buy the hottest and most popular girl in Boston a drink?"

Frost and Danielle both shook their head while they tried not to laugh out loud. Jane wondered for a second if this girl was just insistent or not able to take no for an answer. "Seems like I can't stop you… as long as you know where I stand."

"No problem." The brunette smiled and looked down at the glass in Jane's hands. "So, what are you having?"

* * *

Danielle  
 _So… my head hurts today. Like… really hurts. I thought one of your jobs as my friend was to stop me from having too much to drink. Where did we go wrong?_

Jane  
 _Oh come on! I was the one who sent you home when you had had enough to drink. You just don't remember it._

Danielle  
 _And when was that…?_

Jane  
 _No idea. 1 maybe? I didn't really keep track of the time._

Danielle  
 _Oh… well, thanks. But you should've sent me home earlier… judging by my current state._

Jane  
 _I can never get it right, can I?_

Danielle  
 _At least you're trying ;) So, when did you and Frost end the night? And… were you alone?_

Jane  
 _Like I said, I didn't keep track of the time last night… but it was late. And yes, we were alone._

Danielle  
 _So no behind the scenes experience for miss crazy ass fan?_

Jane  
 _What? No! And she wasn't crazy… just… freaking stubborn!_

Danielle  
 _Yeah she really tried to get into your pants. I'm surprised you turned her down… wait, no I'm not surprised!_

Jane  
 _Please don't say it…._

Danielle  
 _You're so hung up on Doctor Dimple that you probably can't see anyone else. A pretty hot girl basically throws herself at you and you still can't catch her._

Jane  
 _I wasn't out to hook up with anyone._

Danielle  
 _Would you feel guilty if you had slept with someone else? Is that it? :)_

Jane  
 _I'm not gonna talk to you…_

Danielle  
 _I know. And it actually hurts to laugh, so it's a bad deal for both of us… I think I'm gonna go throw up instead…_

Jane  
 _I'm glad my love life (or lack of) disgusts you that much :p_

Danielle  
 _Oh you don't know half of it, miss Superstar…_

* * *

Jane slowly looked around the ballroom the team had rented for their New Year's dinner. Everyone was there, from players to coaches and managers, and they were all dressed up in beautiful dresses or tailored suits. Jane felt completely underdressed as her eyes found Heather in the crowd. She should've known. She always hated these formal dinners. "God damn, I look like the black sheep in this sea of dresses" she muttered as she got close enough to Heather.

Heather smiled. "Relax Jane. There's no strict dress code. You're fine."

"I don't feel fine though…" Jane mumbled.

"Wait a second" Heather blurted out and started to look around and behind Jane. "What? Jane Rizzoli doesn't have a hot date?" she teased.

Jane laughed and shook her head. "Nope. My friends were all busy, putting work and a romantic getaway to New York with their fiancé above me. I need new friends."

"Or a hot date…"

Jane nodded but was ignored as Heather stared past Jane with wide eyes.

"Damn… Doctor Isles, you're looking hot!" Heather smiled.

The comment made Jane turn around, a bit too eager, and what she saw made her take a deep breath. She knew it right away when Maura made her way towards them. In her black sleeveless dress that hugged the perfect curves, the doctor looked stunning. No doubt. But Jane's eyes were glued to Maura's chest, where the dress went low, almost too low, showing off her cleavage like it was a piece of art. Jane knew right away that she was in for one hell of a battle that night. She barely acknowledged Maura talking to her and had to tear her eyes up to the doctor's face. "Huh? Sorry…"

Maura smiled, if she had noticed Jane almost drooling over her, she didn't point it out. "I just said how nice you look."

Jane looked down at herself. With black pants, a simple white shirt and a blazer she didn't really feel she fit in with the rest of the girls in dresses and skirts. "Oh… no I don't. I hate dressing up."

Heather choked a laugh while Maura sighed. "Don't say that. You look really nice."

With memories from the last time she got in an argument with Maura still alive, Jane decided to keep her mouth shut. Instead she smiled. Maura politely excused herself and continued to mingle. Jane's eyes followed her until she was out of sight.

* * *

Dinner proved to be impossible. After Jane and Heather had taken their seats, it didn't take long before Maura was on the other side of the table and took a seat right across Jane. And Jane suddenly found the flowers in the middle of the table extremely interesting.

She had no idea what they were served. She just ate it and tried to get through the dinner with at least a piece of her dignity still intact. Eyes trailed too often to Maura and that cleavage that begged for attention, freedom. She was on the edge of her seat, trying not to reach out and let her fingertips run over the exposed skin. She probably drank too much too quickly, and when dinner was consumed and people started to get up, Jane pretty much ran out of the room. She stopped out in the hallway, around a corner and leaned against the wall while she breathed out. This was bound to end in a disaster. There was no way she could go through this evening without doing something stupid.

"Jane?" The sound of heels against the floor echoed in the empty hallway and Jane cursed.

"Jane… are you alright?" Maura sounded concerned when she rounded the corner and spotted Jane, face buried in her hands.

Jane laughed softly and looked up. "No, I'm not okay. I'm going crazy."

"Why?" Maura stepped closer and seemed to think there was something genuinely wrong with Jane.

"Why? You need to ask why?" Jane met Maura halfway and quickly pushed her up against the wall. "This…" she murmured and placed her finger on Maura's chest. "This is why I'm going crazy." She let her finger roam over the skin, up and over the valleys. "I've been staring at this all night, wondering what it looks like underneath." She slowly looked up to Maura's eyes. "You are driving me crazy in this dress… and I don't trust myself anymore." Maura's lips parted and Jane felt the hot air hitting her lips. She leaned closer, their lips almost touching. "And I'm not sure I can trust you either" Jane whispered.

They both took the final step, and Jane cupped Maura's face in her hands. The second their lips met, Jane knew she wouldn't be able to stop. She wasn't strong enough to break whatever spell Maura had on her. It was all so addictive, feeling the warm body against hers, the demanding lips that seemed to have the same lack of self-control as hers. The doctor's hands were buried deep in her hair, and Jane lost all control over her own. They ran over Maura's body, down barely covered breasts and to hips that immediately pressed against her palms. Jane tried to think of ways to get rid of that dress quickest possible way when a mumbling voice tore them apart.

"Shit… sorry."

They both turned their heads to find Heather staring at them. Still with her hands around Jane's neck, Maura tried to hide herself against Jane's shoulder.

"I didn't know- I didn't see you go after Jane, I- I'm... just gonna leave now." Heather spun around and hurried back to the ballroom.

Jane sighed and closed her eyes for a second.

"Oh god" Maura mumbled against Jane's neck.

"Don't worry, she won't tell anyone." It sounded like a desperate plea to keep the doctor pressed against her body.

"No, Jane…" Maura removed herself from Jane and sighed. "We keep crossing all these lines… which we shouldn't."

"And I don't care."

"Well, I do! We need to stop this. It's gone too far already."

Jane growled and ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah, you keep saying that. And then you kiss me. And I don't know what the hell is wrong. Why can't we do this, Maura? Just tell me. Before I lose my mind."

"For many reasons! We work together, I'm your doctor, you're too young."

"And still you keep leading me on!"

"I…" Maura stepped towards Jane, but stopped herself before she reached out. "I don't want to discuss this here…" she whispered. "But please, can you talk to Heather, make sure she won't say anything?"

Jane hated herself for being so weak for the sad look in Maura's eyes. "She won't, I know."

"Just… please?"

She didn't really have a choice; she knew she would do whatever Maura told her to. "Fine…" She sighed, but let her eyes linger on that beautiful woman in front of her. "I'll talk to her."

* * *

Heather stood by the bar and held out a beer when Jane sat down next to her. "I'm guessing you want one."

"I need one is more like it…" Jane tried to imagine the beer cooling down the boiling blood in her body as she took a long sip. "Look, Heather…"

"Don't bother, Jane." Heather turned to her and smiled. "I won't say anything, if that's what you're worried about."

Jane scoffed and shook her head. "I actually don't give a shit about what you do. But she does."

"Then you can tell her I won't say anything. And that I don't care. Well, of course I care… but I don't mind."

"You don't?"

Heather laughed softly. "Of course not. As long as you're happy." She clinked her bottle against Jane's, but ignored the eye roll that followed. "I kinda figured it out a couple of weeks ago anyway." She burst out laughing from the look on Jane's face.

"What?! How…?"

"The way you look at each other. You guys were practically drooling all over each other one morning on the last road trip. I'm pretty sure neither of you noticed how I tried not to laugh at you."

Jane's cheeks burned from the memory of that breakfast. She looked down at the bottle in her hands and slowly started laughing. "You asshole. You should've said something! I can't believe I was about to say you were a good friend."

They both started laughing and Jane relaxed a little. "Can you do me a favor tonight?"

"Hey, I'm not gonna be a look out while you guys are doing it in the bathroom…"

Jane was about to strongly disagree with Heather's words, but ended up laughing again. "You're such a jerk… but not what I was gonna ask. If you catch me staring at her tonight, will you hit me in the head? Preferably with a bottle?"

"Anything for you, my friend" Heather winked.

Just moments after Jane had emptied her beer, Maura came over to them, clearly nervous. "Heather, I wanted to apologi-"

"Don't" Heather stopped her. "No need. I don't mind, and I won't say a word. Promise" she smiled.

Jane could almost see the weight of the world disappear from Maura's shoulders, and she squeezed the empty bottle in her hand. Something was still burning violently inside her.

"Thank you, I really appreciate that" Maura almost whispered. She smiled at them both before she turned around and walked away.

Jane watched the black dress slowly slip away until she felt a burning slap in the back of her head. "Ouch! Fuck…" She rubbed her head and turned to Heather who just looked at her.

"What? I have to finish my beer before I can use the bottle."

Jane sighed and let out a short laugh. "Thanks…."

* * *

They stayed by the bar for a while, chatting and drinking, and Jane finally started to relax. After she stopped looking around in case Maura was nearby, she managed to hold a real conversation without Heather nagging and teasing about having to share her attention.

She had been drinking a lot, more than she realized, and when she got up to use the bathroom, she felt the effects of it. The room was slowly spinning, and Jane told herself that she should take it easy with the drinks from now on.

When she exited the bathroom, she noticed a couple of girls hanging outside the door and it immediately filled her head with all sorts of thoughts. Heather's joke earlier about being a look out turned into mental pictures of the cleavage of a certain doctor. And she was lost. She could still feel Maura's lips and hands, her hips against her own hands, and Jane had to stop and lean against the wall for a second. What if Heather hadn't walked in on them?

Jane looked around in the crowded room. There were so many strangers in the room, boyfriends, wives, husbands. Husbands... Maura wasn't married, she didn't have a husband. Jane's thoughts boarded a freight train and soon she was walking around determined to find Maura. Maura who was alone here, no husband, no boyfriend. So what if they worked together? She looked around, more and more desperate as she didn't see that black dress or the cleavage it tried so desperately to contain.

Back at the bar, she found Heather chatting with Louisa and Jane gently tapped Heather's shoulder. "Hey, have you seen Maura?" she whispered.

Heather turned around and tilted her head. "Do I have to hit you again?"

"What?" Jane asked confused.

"You told me to hit you if I ever caught you staring at her tonight. And my bottle is almost empty, I'd be careful if I was you."

Jane sighed and shook her head. "No, I just need to talk to her. Have you seen her or not?"

"Are you sure that's all you're gonna do with her?" Heather said low. "Just talking, no… fooling around?"

"Never mind. I'll find her myself…" Jane scoffed and walked away.

She walked around the room one more time before she sat down by one of the empty tables and sighed. Maura was nowhere to be seen. Jane motioned for one of the waiters with a tray full of her favorite beer.

"Look who we have here, the life of the party!"

Jane looked up and found Wallace smiling at her, and she scrunched her nose. "Buzz off" she slurred.

" _Buzz_ off?" Wallace laughed. "What? Doctor Isles doesn't like it when you use bad words…?"

Jane took a deep breath. "You know what, if you want me to break your nose again, just ask! I'll be happy to do it."

"Yeah, like you're able to hit anything other than the floor right now…"

"So that's why you're here trying to piss me off? You feel safe because you think I'm too drunk to fight you!" Jane laughed, mostly because she was surprised and proud over her own comment. Even though it could be true for all she knew.

"Don't flatter yourself. So what sorrows are you drowning? Did she dump you?" Wallace leaned on one of the chairs.

"Just go be annoying somewhere else…"

"Fine" Wallace grinned and looked out into the room. "Maybe I'll go and have a chat with the doctor over there…"

Jane turned around so fast she almost fell off the chair. She could practically see how Maura was running towards her, saying she had changed her mind, they could absolutely do 'this', that she wanted Jane, she had since day one. So when an evil laugh brought Jane back to reality, only to discover there was no doctor running towards her, she snapped. "You fucking bitch!" She jumped up from her chair and threw a punch towards the laughter.

It wasn't hard, but enough to throw Wallace off balance. She stumbled back into the chairs and had to fight to keep from falling.

"I'm fucking done with you and your bullshit!" Jane growled. She took a step towards Wallace, ready to fight her again, but a pair of arms wrapped around her stomach and pulled her back.

"Whoa, whoa! You're shitting me right? Are you absolutely insane or just stupid?"

Jane recognized Heather's voice and fought to get away from her, but Heather was somehow stronger than Jane.

"Forget it! You're going home! Now!" Heather released Jane only to grab her arm and drag her towards the exit.

"Let me go. I'm not a child!"

"Really?!" Heather stopped and turned to Jane. "Cause you certainly act like one right now! What the hell are you trying to accomplish by lashing out at Wallace again? It's not her fault!"

"She's asking for it! She's a psycho, and I've had enough of her bullshit!"

Heather shook her head and continued out through the door and into the hallway, still dragging Jane after her.

"Heather, I'm serious! Let me go!" Jane continued to argue.

But Heather didn't stop until they were outside in the chilly air. She pulled out her phone from her purse and called for a cab. Jane glared at her until she ended the call and returned the glare. "You're a mess, Jane. What the hell happened?"

Jane looked away and folded her arms across her chest. "Screw you…"

They stood in complete silence while they waited. Jane stared at the ground most of the time, trying to remain angry at Heather, Wallace, everything, but as the minutes passed, it became more and more difficult. The fresh air quickly cleared up her thoughts and brought all the memories and emotions from the last week to the surface. When the cab arrived, Jane marched right up to it and got in.

"Call me tomorrow, okay?" Heather halfway ordered before Jane could shut the door.

"Fine" Jane mumbled and forced her to take a step back by closing the door.

"Where to, miss?" the driver asked and looked at her in the rearview mirror.

Her address was about to slip from her tongue, but Jane stopped herself. As she looked at the eyes in the mirror waiting for her answer, she couldn't help the thoughts in her head; no way she was going home now, she still needed to find Maura. She quickly pulled out her phone to find the exact address. At the same time, she steered the driver in the right direction. "Beacon Hill."

* * *

She didn't stop to think about what she was doing, instead she double checked the address before she walked up to the door. It sounded like the whole neighborhood was partying, and she didn't realize that Maura's house was one of the sources.

Maura looked surprised when she opened the door, but quickly recovered. "Jane, what are you doing here?!" She threw a glance inside the house before she stepped outside and pulled the door closer to her.

"I need to talk to you."

"We can talk tomorrow, it's late."

"No, we can't. Cause I can't take this anymore." Jane took a step closer but kept her distance. "I'm going crazy, and… you're confusing. Why did you leave the party?"

"You're drunk" Maura stated.

Jane laughed. "It's fucking new year's eve! Of course I'm drunk."

"Jane, please go home. I'm not doing this now."

"I'm not going home. Why should I? I can't get you out of my head, and yeah, I am attracted to you. I have been since the first day I saw you, but I think you know that by now. It's just…" Jane took a deep breath and pulled back the hair from her face. She ignored the small sighs and protests from Maura. "There's more. Yeah, I want you. Like really want you. But I want all of you. Tonight, tomorrow, next week. And I know you want me too!"

Maura released the doorknob she had been gripping tightly. Instead she took a step closer to Jane and reached for her arm. "Please, go home-"

"No! DON'T… touch me." Jane pulled back her arms and froze. "I'm not sure I can control myself if you do."

"Then you better go" Maura continued. "It's late, and you are way out of line now. I can call you a cab-"

"Jesus Christ, you don't get it!" Jane sighed. As she stood there staring at Maura she realized that drinking had been a good thing. She was just drunk enough for her head to slow down, but not too drunk to get things off her chest.

"Get what?" Maura asked annoyed. "I am not discussing this with you now."

"Maura… is everything okay?"

The dark voice coming from inside the house made Jane sober up right away. She watched the expression on Maura's face turn from angry to scared as a handsome guy in a suit showed up by her side. Jane looked briefly at the guy before she turned back to Maura. "Who the hell is this?"

Maura turned her eyes to the ground and bit her lip.

"I'm… Ryan. And you are?"

Jane slowly turned her attention to this man that was standing a bit too close to Maura for Jane's liking. "Ryan…?" she fished.

"Her fiancé."

Maybe she was more drunk than she thought, or perhaps she was dreaming, having a horrible nightmare. "You're kidding, right? Maura, please tell me he's kidding!" But the doctor didn't utter a word.

"Who are you?" Ryan tried again.

Jane kept her eyes on Maura who was still staring down at the ground. "Apparently I'm nobody…" she whispered.

This got Maura's attention and she looked up at Jane. "Go home. Please."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jane felt like she was about to cry and she took a deep breath. "You should've told me. None of this would've happened if I knew you were engaged…"

"Just what the hell is going on? Maura?" Ryan looked at his fiancée, waiting for an answer or some sort of explanation.

Maura seemed completely numb, like she didn't hear the words or even see the two angry and confused people around her. The sight of an indifferent Maura made Jane angry. How could she just stand there and not care anymore? "You know what, screw this. I guess you were right after all; I don't know you." Jane turned around and forced her legs to carry her away from everything.

* * *

 **AN:** It was not funny at all to be slapped in the face right after posting a pretty huge chapter, luckily I don't think many people saw the guest reviews because I removed them right away (and pm's were deleted). I firmly believe in the saying "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all". Especially when it comes to fan fiction. The authors do all of this for free. We don't get anything in return except reviews. We spend hundreds of hours on this. No one forces you to read a boring story. So instead of putting your rage and boredom in a review, just go back and find a new story.

To all of those you have swamped me with reviews, pm's, follows, replies and messages on tumblr; I am completely blown away. I can't find the words to begin to thank you. If I haven't replied to your message, don't take it the wrong way. Know that I've read it several times, I just haven't had the energy to reply to everyone.  
I hope you will be happy with the rest of the story.  
Oh, and OC in the character listing is NOT Ryan. It is Danielle, Jane's best friend and a major character in this story. It is Heather, Jane's teammate and captain. And it is one more teammate who will be introduced in chapter 16 (no, it's not a love interest!)


	15. Chapter 15

**_Getting Personal_**

 _Even through Christmas and New Year's, Jane Rizzoli still manages to make the headlines, but this time it's more of the personal sort. It was on Facebook this weekend, 21-year old Brooke Welsh posted a rather intimate secret about the new star in town. Welsh claims to have been seduced by Rizzoli on New Year's Eve, and was taken back to Rizzoli's apartment where she spent the night. The news traveled quickly in social media, drawing a lot of attention, and despite several tries, Welsh refused to make a comment._

 _Instead, we asked Rizzoli about the recent news._

 _"_ _Really? That's your question? Alright. Well, I don't really care. Yes, it's true, I met her at a bar and we hit it off. Nothing interesting about it."_

 _-She wrote on her page that she wanted to confirm all the rumors about your sexuality by going public with this. Does it bother you at all?_

 _"_ _I didn't even know there were rumors, but no, it doesn't bother me. I'm fine with it, but if people think it's interesting to read about who I sleep with, then that's their choice."_

 _-So are you playing for the other team, to use a pathetic metaphor?_

 _"_ _The only team I play for is the Boston Daredevils. I just happen to score off the ice as well…"_

 _And there you have it, a trademark Rizzoli comment, with the trademark smirk and the trademark wink._

 _No wonder the girls love her._

* * *

The girls were chatting like usual when Jane entered the locker room as the last one before the first practice of the year. She knew she was late but she didn't care. Some of the girls looked up at her as she passed by to her spot next to Heather. Jane sat down and stared at the hamper in the middle of the room for a few moments.

"You okay?" Heather asked and looked at Jane.

"I'm fine" Jane mumbled before she unzipped her jacket and took it off. She saw some of the glances from the girls around her.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." She started to change, still with furrowed brows. For the last few days she had only wanted to get back to business, play again and focus on what she did best. Even though that meant facing Maura again. The usual banter with Heather was absent that day, but Jane saw the way Heather glanced at her from time to time. She knew she would have to explain a few things before the day was over, there was no way Heather would let her off the hook. Jane was putting on her jersey when Heather finally caved.

"We all saw the article, Jane."

"So what?" Jane mumbled in reply.

"Is that why you're so pissed off today?"

Jane laughed sarcastically and turned to Heather. "Not at all. I don't give a shit about that article."

"Then what's wrong?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Of course not…"

Jane sensed the sarcasm in Heather's voice and struggled to let it pass.

"You never wanna talk, no matter what it is. I hope you weren't worried what the others would think."

"Think about what?"

"That you're gay."

The words made Jane freeze before she turned to Heather. "Why would I give a shit about what they think?" she replied loudly. "I don't care what anyone thinks. It's my life and my business." She saw how Heather looked around in the room, and her own eyes followed. Everyone was quiet and watching them and it just got Jane more worked up. "So now you know I'm gay, does it matter? Am I suddenly an awful player because of that? Am I hideous or contagious because of it? It doesn't define me as a hockey player, it shouldn't be a news story in this day and age, and I honestly don't care what you guys think or if you look at me differently, or whatever!"

"Jane, calm down" Louisa smiled from her place beside the door and managed to silence Jane. "I don't think anyone here cares about that."

Several of the girls shook their heads while smiling, and Jane breathed out.

"I think we were more worried about how you felt about that article. I know I would be pissed if someone did that to me" Louisa continued.

"Me too" Heather chimed in.

Jane scoffed and leaned back against the wall. "I'm not pissed about that… I don't care." She let out a short laugh. "I'm fucking thrilled she felt the need to brag about this. Publicity, right?"

"Also a way to look at it" Louisa smiled. "And you're probably gonna be fighting off girls wherever you go now" she winked.

Laughter filled the room and Jane couldn't resist the temptation of joining in. That didn't seem like a bad thing.

After the laughter died, Jessie cleared her throat and spoke. "But seriously. We're all here to play, you're part of the team and we all have your back. No matter what. And you're right, it shouldn't be a story these days."

"I agree" someone else interrupted. "And _we_ shouldn't make a big deal out of it either. Let's just go out and play. It's what we're all here for."

Jane let her eyes slide over the faces in the room until she was looking at Heather who smiled at her.

"Good idea. So tie your fucking skates, Rizzoli. We're all waiting for you" Heather smirked and gave Jane a nudge.

Jane smiled and rolled her eyes, thankful for the change of topic. "You got it, captain" she smirked back.

* * *

The doctor was not to be seen during practice, and Jane couldn't be more thankful. She didn't want to face Maura with other people around, she didn't trust herself. But right before she was about to leave the rink, curiosity won. She looked down the hall and saw light spilling into the hallway from Maura's office. She walked down the hall and passed the open door.

When she saw the office was empty, she turned around and walked back. The room was just as clean and tidy as always and Jane stepped inside. She wasn't sure why she was there at all, but she made her way over to the desk. A piece of paper caught her eyes and she went around the desk and picked it up.

 _Request for unpaid leave_

Her eyes quickly skimmed the brief letter. It wasn't signed yet and the dates were blank.

"It's rude to go through other people's belongings."

Her head whipped up and saw Maura had entered the office. "What's this?" Jane asked, all anger and frustration gone by the thought of Maura leaving.

Maura took the paper from Jane's hand and carefully folded it before she put it in her purse. "It's none of your business."

"You're leaving?"

"That is usually what a request for leave means."

"Why? When?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I haven't decided yet." Maura picked up her purse and jacket before she looked at Jane. "Anything I can help you with, Rizzoli?"

Jane silenced. The formality was too much.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going home."

Maura was halfway towards the door before Jane reacted. She rushed over and closed the door before she leaned against it. "Why are you leaving?"

"It's really none of your business."

"I beg to differ. After what has happened between us, I think I'm entitled to know why you're leaving."

Maura flinched at the words and put down her purse. She looked firmly at Jane, slightly tilting her head. "He left me. I was planning my wedding when you came crashing into my life. And now I'm left with nothing."

"That's not true…"

"Isn't it? What do I have left here, Jane? Please enlighten me."

Jane made a mental note to one time tell Maura how sarcasm actually looked good on her, in the middle of a fight. "I'm still here."

Maura scoffed and threw her jacket on the chair beside her. "You ruined my relationship, Jane! You showed up at my house and tore it all down! How can you possible think I would come running to you?"

"No, you don't get to blame this on me! I didn't ruin this! You never told me about him, you lied to me, you lied to him. You cheated on him, what did you really expect him to do?"

Maura took a step forward and was almost up in Jane's face. She was furious, eyes were filled with anger. "You showed up at my house, uninvited, late at night. You were drunk and completely out of line. You disrespected me when I asked you to leave. I am perfectly aware of what I have done, but you had no right doing what you did that night!"

Every hope of having a civilized conversation about it all, flew out the window. Jane was affected by the harsh tone in Maura's voice, and she couldn't help the words that slipped out. "If you had been honest with me, that night would never have happened." She hated to admit it, but her pride was hurt. She felt attacked, and to completely mess with her head, she swore she could feel heat radiating between them.

"And if you had been honest with me from the beginning, none of this would have happened."

"Bullshit!" Jane laughed. "You think things would've been different if I told you how much I wanted you from the very first day?" She moved closer to Maura who in turn backed away, until her legs bumped into the bench. Jane leaned as close as she dared, close enough to feel Maura's breath on her skin, but not close enough for skin to skin contact. "If I had pushed you up against the wall and told you just exactly what I wanted to do to make you scream my name, you really think you would be able to control yourself?"

Maura swallowed, but managed to keep eye contact. And even though she was unbalanced on the outside, she still kept her voice calm. "You are so full of yourself…"

"And you're fooling yourself… you can't tell me you don't feel this god damn heat… even though you're pissed right now, you still want to kiss me. I can tell. But instead you're running."

"How can I run when you keep cornering me? Why can't you see my side of the story and just let me go?"

"Because I can't let you go without a fight."

"This isn't a fight anymore, Jane. You've turned this into a war. And I'm not going to be a part of that." Maura stepped around Jane, ignoring her own body screaming at her. Everything in her wanted to surrender to the heat that was impossible to ignore, everything except her brain.

"I'm not giving up" Jane said firmly and spun around.

Maura was already picking up her purse and jacket and headed for the door. As her hand reached the doorknob, she looked over her shoulder, almost surprised to see Jane hadn't moved. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing except a sigh. Not allowing herself to show any weakness, she opened the door and walked out.

* * *

As soon as Jane entered the locker room for their practice the next day, Heather jumped up and pushed her back out in the hall and to a corner. "What's going on between you and Doctor Isles at the moment?" Heather asked and stared at Jane.

"What? Nothing. Why?" Jane didn't like lying to Heather, but she hadn't told anyone about the fights yet.

"I just heard that she asked for a few weeks off today. Said it was something personal she needed to sort out. She left about an hour ago."

Jane stared at the wall behind Heather and didn't know what to say. When she had found Maura's request for leave in her office, she didn't really think it was something the doctor would go through with, that it was just a heat of the moment thing. Jane turned her head and blinked. "And you think it has something to do with me?"

"Can you blame me? The last time I saw you two together, you were all over each other. And now she's taken an emergency leave and you are pretty much angry all the time. What the hell happened?"

Jane sighed when she heard how everything looked from the outside. "I'll tell you later, okay?"

"Fine" Heather nodded. "I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass, but I'm just worried. I don't want to see this whole thing blow up."

"Yeah, me neither…" Jane mumbled and stepped around Heather and headed for the locker room again.

Jane couldn't focus at all during practice and it made her furious. Just the thought of telling Heather about the fights with Maura made her sick. She didn't want to rip up in those feelings she had when she saw Ryan by Maura's side, or when she found the request for leave. And when Jane remembered she hadn't told Danielle about any of it either, she needed a moment to get back on track. She had barely met Danielle after everything went to hell, but she had managed to lie and say everything was fine. She knew she couldn't keep that up much longer, and if she had to tell Heather about everything, she'd might as well have Danielle there to hear it as well.

After practice she ran the idea by Heather who was slightly shocked that Jane hadn't told Danielle anything. So Jane called Danielle and agreed to meet them both at the Robber later.

Once settled in Jane's favorite booth at the Robber, Danielle and Heather both looked at Jane from across the table. "So, what's up?" Danielle asked.

Jane looked down at the cup in front of her and sighed. "I… I met Maura's fiancé."

"What!?" both Heather and Danielle blurted out.

"She's engaged?" Heather asked.

Jane laughed nervously. "Not really… not anymore…" She looked up to see two different faces. Danielle seemed shocked while Heather had that slightly condescending look on her face. Maybe because she knew about Maura's absence.

"Hold up!" Danielle rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward. "She was engaged? But now she's not? After you met her guy?"

Jane breathed out and nodded. "Yeah, that pretty much sums it up."

"What the hell happened?"

Heather leaned back and sighed while she let Danielle do the questions.

"I might have been a bit drunk when I met him, and he pretty much figured it out. She told me that he had left that same night."

"Please don't tell me this was at the New Year's party…" Heather said.

Jane didn't utter a word, and both Danielle and Heather sighed loudly.

"So that's why she suddenly left…" Heather mumbled.

Danielle turned to Heather before she looked at Jane. "What?"

"Maura took out an emergency leave today…" Heather explained. "She said she'll be gone a few weeks. To sort out some personal issues."

"Oh my god, Jane, what the hell have you gotten yourself into…?" Danielle shook her head.

Jane felt small. Just the thought of the confrontation at Maura's house made her cringe. It wasn't really her proudest moment, and not something she wanted to go into detail about with her friends.

"So you've met her after that night?" Danielle asked.

"Yeah… I met her after practice yesterday. She wasn't really happy… and I can't blame her."

"She's mad at you?"

Jane nodded. "I think it's safe to say that it's all over." She slowly took a sip of her coffee and let the words play on repeat in her head. Maybe it was for the best that it ended before it got too complicated.

"Wait" Heather mumbled. She moved to the edge of her seat. "That girl you hooked up with…"

"Yeah…" Jane nodded. "I went straight from Maura's house to a bar and, well… you read the rest."

"From Maura's house?" Danielle blurted out. She shook her head when Jane confirmed it with a nod. "Okay, please fill me in here, cause I'm lost!"

"I was drunk at the dinner party, lashed out at Wallace and Heather sent me home in a cab" Jane explained. "Except I didn't go home, cause I was looking for Maura who had for some reason left the party early."

"So you went to her house" Danielle finished.

Heather shook her head. "I should've personally made sure you went home that night" she apologized. "It was kinda stupid of me to think you actually would go home."

"No, this was all me, Heather. I should've listened to you." Jane looked at her across the table and tried to smile, but it was much too difficult.

"So what if you had gone home instead" Danielle interrupted. "Things might've been different, but she would still be engaged, and you wouldn't have known about it right now."

"True" Heather added. "I am somewhat glad you found out about him, just not while you were drunk and mad. Had you gone home you would've just postponed this."

Jane was silent, not wanting to say anything. All the feelings from when she stood at Maura's doorstep came back, one by one, and it made it difficult to talk to her friends. Heather and Danielle seemed to pick up the silent hints and shared a look.

They sat in silence for a few minutes until Danielle sighed. "This sucks. I was so rooting for you and Doctor Dimple."

Jane only nodded slowly. After a few more silent moments, Heather burst out laughing, making Jane and Danielle look up.

"I'm sorry! But… Doctor Dimple? What the hell?"

Danielle looked at Jane who smiled softly in return. "You mean you don't know how Jane and Maura met?" Danielle asked and turned to Heather.

"They met before Jane joined the team?"

"Oh yes" Danielle smirked. "Let me tell you about it, because Jane doesn't even remember it."

Heather looked at Jane with wide eyes, and Jane could only let out a small laugh before Danielle started telling the story about Doctor Dimple.

* * *

 **AN:** I suddenly remembered a review a while back that asked about how open Jane was. I'm sorry I didn't answer it sooner, it just completely slipped my mind. Anyway, after this chapter everyone knows of course, but Jane has always kept her personal life away from hockey so only her friends and family knew before this. It's not that she's scared or ashamed. She just doesn't think it has anything to do with hockey.

And guys, the amount of reviews after last chapter was insane! Thank you! I hope you're still in for the long ride because we are soon halfway... There's a reason why I call it The Monster! Sorry T, I stole that from you :)  
Please keep in mind from now on that English is not my first language, and I do my own edits. I am not perfect in any way so some spelling and grammar might be wrong now and then. If something is horribly wrong, please send me a message and let me know so I can fix it.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** First of all: Maura isn't running away. If she was, then the story would be over by now. And as you'll see at the end of this chapter, Maura doesn't know about the article about Jane and the girl.  
And yes, I know Maura was mean to Jane, I know Jane shouldn't feel guilty, but remember that there are a lot of feelings involved here. On both sides. It's very easy for Jane to blame herself since she was the one who ultimately broke the news to Ryan. It's just as easy for Maura to blame Jane too. If you don't like how I write this then please, stop reading and find another story, or write your own.  
Just don't jump to conclusions here. We have A LOT to sort out. And it starts with this chapter. Although that doesn't mean the hard times are over...

* * *

Jane turned off the TV and leaned her head back against the couch. First game after the holidays was over, and Jane couldn't even play. Instead she had watched the girls lose against Atlanta, on home ice. It didn't come as a surprise when coach Landers had called her to his office the day before and told her she had been suspended three games by the league. That was the rule and she had known it from the second she dropped her gloves against Sarah.

However, being suspended and missing out a few games was actually a small relief. After the fights with Maura, and the news about the leave, Jane was angry, frustrated and sad, and everything in between, and being suspended gave her time to let out her feelings. She could stay at home and do whatever the hell she wanted instead of constantly being reminded of the huge mess she had once again created.

The game had ended in a loss and a huge injury on Jane's line mate, Jessie. Without talking to anyone, Jane could tell it was serious and feared Jessie would be out for a long time. Another punch in the gut. Just when she had started to get to know her line, they were broken up. When the knock on the door came shortly after the game had ended, Jane only found the will to look toward it. She was not in the mood for any company. Seconds ticked by in silence before another knock.

"Jane, come on. I know you're home" Danielle's voice came from the outside.

Jane still refused to move and just stared at the black screen. If she just held out, Danielle would probably give up after a few tries. Just as she took a slow, deep breath, her phone started ringing on the table. Danielle, her sneaky friend, and Jane sighed.

"I can hear your phone, Jane! Come on! I have my key with me if you don't open up the door!"

"Fuck" Jane mumbled and quickly rejected the call. She slowly got up and walked over to the door and opened it. Without looking at Danielle, she returned back to her couch and sunk down in her usual corner.

"Why aren't you at the game?" Danielle asked as she stepped inside.

"I'm suspended, remember?"

Danielle closed the door before she shook off her jacket. "Yeah, so? Doesn't mean you shouldn't be there."

"I didn't wanna go."

"You're sulking" Danielle stated and walked over to the couch. She looked at Jane who was putting her feet up on the table and staring at them. "You're suspended, deal with it, but you should've been there, Jane. You're still part of the team, it's your job to support them no matter what."

"Don't. Okay? Just don't" Jane replied with a glare.

Danielle rolled her eyes and sat down in the other end of the couch. She looked at Jane while weighing her options, let it go or push her luck? It was a pretty easy decision, she never let anything go with Jane. "So what are you most upset about; the suspension or the leave?" Just like she thought, she got an angry stare back. "Oh, and by the way, I still don't know what went down at that dinner party. Care to fill me in?"

"How long have you known me, Dani?"

"About… 9-10 years."

"Then how come you don't know when to leave me the fuck alone?!" Jane raised her voice as she got up. "I don't wanna talk."

The sound of Jane's feet against the floor as she stomped over to the kitchen, made Danielle smile for some reason. She turned around and was completely unaffected by the raised voice. "Yeah, we've known each other for almost 10 years. So why haven't you learned that I don't give up on you? I know you're pissed about it, I know you're sad about the whole Maura thing too, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna stop caring about you. You're not gonna talk to anyone else about it, so why do you keep putting on this stupid mask in front of me?"

Jane opened the fridge and stared at the things in there. "Cause I don't want to talk" she replied firmly and grabbed a new bottle of beer.

Danielle groaned and got up. "We can do this all night, Jane. It's Saturday, I can stay here until Monday if I have to. So why can't you just tell me what happened?"

"Cause I fucking listened to you!" Jane yelled and slammed the door to the fridge so hard it sounded like something shattered in there. "Because YOU were the one who kept telling me things I wanted to hear; she likes you, she knows, she's fucking attracted to you and just wants to know if you are attracted to her." Jane spat out the words as she walked back towards Danielle. "You planted all these things in my head and you made me believe it! You knew about Sarah, you knew why I left Denver, you knew just how much that ruined me! So why the fuck did you keep encouraging me to get involved with her, to make a new mess? This is my home! This is _my_ city! And now Boston is Denver and just when I was starting to tell her what I wanted, fucking Ryan pops up out of nowhere, in her house, wondering who the hell I am. And I ruined their relationship because I fucking listened to you! Now she's pissed at me, she's probably not gonna talk to me again, and I'm back to being the guilty one who fucked up everything! That's why!" Jane was shaking and out of breath as she was all up in Danielle's face and screaming.

Danielle stared back into Jane's almost black eyes and swallowed. "Fine. You wanna blame me, go ahead!" she muttered through clenched teeth, struggling to keep her cool. "But do you think I would've said those things, and pushed you on if I had known about this guy? You really think I want to see you miserable?!"

"That's not the point!" Jane barked back. "I told you from the beginning that I didn't want to get involved like that again. I didn't want to be in that mess again. And whaddya know? I got involved and I'm back in the same fucking mess because YOU told me to go for it!" Jane took a step closer, so close that Danielle was forced into the back of the couch.

"So now what? Are you gonna hit me?" Danielle asked and held out her hands. "Would it make you feel better? Cause I'm open… I'm not gonna move." She waited, watched Jane's rapid breathing and actually hoped she would do something. "Come on" she urged and gave Jane's shoulder a shove. "Let it out. Hit me, shove me, whatever makes you feel better." When Jane didn't respond, Danielle gave her another shove, stronger this time, while she kept talking to her. "What? You can fight your ex, but not your best friend? You blame me for this and you still can't do anything but yell at me?"

"Fuck off" Jane mumbled as the shoving continued. She stumbled back as one shove was harder than the other. A thousand thoughts went through her head. She had never felt so many different things at once. Danielle kept coming after her, and Jane finally had enough. She grabbed Danielle's shirt with one fist and pushed her backwards. "I will fucking hit you if you don't back off!" she snarled.

It only took a second for Danielle to get the right grip and position her leg behind Jane's, dropping her to the floor. Jane lost the grip on the bottle of beer in her right hand and landed on her back with a thud. With broken glass and the stench of beer all around them, Danielle planted her knee on Jane's chest and pinned down her arms. They stared at each other, Danielle waiting for Jane to fight back or actually surrender, but Jane had no will to fight and didn't move. "No, you won't hit me, so will you just listen to me instead?" Danielle started and sighed. "You didn't know about that asshole, or that she was engaged. Because she didn't tell you. SHE lied to you, she ruined her own relationship! I have no fucking idea what happened during that dinner, but I know _she_ kissed _you_ after the Denver game. So why do you blame yourself for their relationship crashing? You didn't even know there was a relationship to crash. And I'm sorry if I pushed you too far, maybe I should've listened to you." Danielle stopped to breathe and shake her head. "But I love you, Jane. You're the most important person in my life, and I just want you to be happy. Trust me, I really thought a 29-year-old doctor would be more mature than this."

Jane laid there and stared up at Danielle, still breathing rapidly. They had had their share of fights like normal people, but this was new. Never had she been so close to physically hurt one of her friends. Danielle removed her knee from Jane's chest and was immediately pushed aside when Jane sat up. Jane got up, ignoring the puddle of beer she placed her hand in on the floor, or the tiny shards of glass that stung against her skin. She wiped her hand on her thigh and went over to the fridge to get a new beer before going back to the couch.

Danielle still saw anger on Jane's face and didn't move until Jane was safely back on the couch and out of her sight. Then she got up and grabbed some paper from the kitchen and started mopping up the spilled beer, all along hoping it was the only thing that was broken. After most of the broken glass was picked up and disposed of, she grabbed a beer from the fridge and walked back into the living room. She stopped a few feet from the couch and decided to not be as pushy as she usually was. Jane was sitting in the middle of the couch, emptying her bottle in a slow and steady rhythm. Danielle couldn't remember the last time the silence had been so disturbing between them. Hell, she couldn't even remember the last time they had been silent for so long. She twisted off the bottle cap and flicked it towards the sink when Jane spoke.

"I showed up drunk at her door after that dinner because I had to tell her how I felt. So I stood there, pouring my heart out and then he suddenly shows up by her side…"

It was all a low mumble and Danielle carefully stepped closer to make sure she actually heard what Jane said. She wasn't sure what to say, what to do and just stood there. Jane silenced and lifted her bottle to her lips. Danielle sighed silently as she processed the news. She was starting to wish she had gone to this dinner as Jane's plus one.

"And… I almost fucked her out in the hallway during dinner…"

Again Danielle sighed silently and ran a hand over her face. "Almost?" she asked without showing any signs of emotions. If Jane was talking, then she needed to be neutral.

"Yeah. Heather walked in on us before things got too hot." Jane's head fell back against the couch as she scoffed. "It was that fucking dress. You should've seen it" she grunted.

"Oh, I did" Danielle said and smiled for herself. "There were pictures on the website a couple of days ago. I saw it… "

Jane slowly turned around and looked at her friend before she sighed out of frustration. "I mean, what the hell did she expect when she showed up in that fucking dress?" She placed her empty bottle on the table. "She knew I would be there, she knew I… she must've known how I felt, right?" Both hands ran through her hair while she looked down at the floor and shook her head.

Danielle took it as a sign that it was safe to approach and went over to Jane and sat down next to her. "She knew." She placed a comforting hand on Jane's back with all her senses on alert in case it was the wrong move.

"So why the hell did she show up in a dress like that, while her fucking fiancé was back home?! I was staring before she even said a word, and then she _accidentally_ sits down right across the table from me? She must've known what she was doing… what it looked like to me." The anger went over to frustration and sadness as Jane put her feet back up on the table and sunk even lower in the couch.

Danielle offered Jane her beer and copied Jane's movements. "Who initiated things out in the hallway?" she asked.

"I guess I did…"

"But she didn't stop you?"

Jane shook her head. "Nope, not until Heather ruined the moment."

"Sounds like she wanted something that night…" Danielle turned her head and saw Jane closing her eyes.

"Heather ran out of there right away, and Maura got hysterical and begged me to go after Heather to explain and make sure she wouldn't say anything. I knew Heather wouldn't say anything to anyone, but I went anyway." Jane opened her eyes again and stared up at the ceiling. "Then Maura came over and apologized to Heather and heard for herself that Heather wouldn't say anything. And that's the last time I saw her… at least at the party." She took a deep breath and shook her head. "This is such a mess…"

Danielle nodded shortly as Jane slowly lowered her head down on her shoulder. She had a bunch of things she could say. She wanted to convince Jane that Maura was just as much to blame. She wanted to try to explain her thoughts, how she understood why Jane blamed her, but also why Jane should blame Maura instead. However, with Jane's state of mind in that moment, it just seemed pointless. Danielle knew Jane was irrational at times, that she needed to mope and get it out of her system before anything could get through her defense.

The apartment was quiet except for the occasional sounds from the world outside, and Danielle eventually leaned her head against Jane's. "I'm sorry. I hate it when we fight…"

"Yeah, me too…" Jane whispered and smiled. "Especially over a chick…"

The snort came with no warning whatsoever.

* * *

 ** _Perry Out For The Season_**

 _The Boston Daredevils have recalled 18-year old rookie Nicole Taylor after Jessie Perry was injured in last night's game. Perry crashed against the goalpost, fracturing her tibia and will be out rest of the season._

 _Taylor was drafted number six overall in last year's draft and has been described as a playmaker with a very good hockey IQ by coach Landers. He couldn't give any information on whether Taylor would take Perry's place on the second line alongside Jane Rizzoli and Vicky Draper, but that it was a possibility._

 _She will join the team for practice today, her first one since the training camp in late August. It will be exciting to see how coach Landers choose to solve the puzzle right now, with Perry out and Rizzoli still suspended for the next two games after her fight in the last game before Christmas._

* * *

Nicole Taylor experienced her biggest day when she was drafted by Boston Daredevils in early July the previous summer. For a young girl from a small town in Idaho it was huge to come to Boston to show what she could do along with several other rookies and prospects. She knew it was almost impossible to get a spot on the team right away, and she was prepared to spend time on their farmer team. She had done pretty well there the first four months, at least she thought so herself, and when that phone call came late at night after Boston's first game of the new year, she was thrilled and surprised at the same time.

It wasn't until she entered the locker room Nicole got nervous. Even though she had gone through training camp with many of the players before the season, it was strange coming into a room that was theirs. She felt slightly out of place in the beginning, not knowing where to sit down or what to do. Then Heather noticed her and introduced her, again, to the team and found her a spot. Nicole noticed one thing right away; her idol, the one player she had admired for so long, wasn't there. Jane Rizzoli was late to practice. Nicole managed to change and was about to head to the ice, when Jane entered. Nicole looked at her, about to man up and introduce herself, but something about Jane made her stop. She didn't look like the normal joking Jane who always had a snarky comment or a teasing smirk. She was slouched on the bench, looking sad and defeated. Not a sight Nicole had ever seen before. So she stepped out and went over to the ice instead.

Nicole looked down at the Devils logo on her practice jersey and smiled while she skated around in a sea of other players. It was still surreal. After a few minutes Jane finally joined them on the ice and she immediately started on the same rounds as Nicole, but with a much higher tempo. She still seemed like she was a completely different place in her mind. Nicole watched Jane pass her two times before she decided to be brave. She picked up some speed and caught up with Jane, skating alongside her a few seconds until Jane noticed her. Then she took off again, doing a tight turn around the goal and raced down the length of the rink and around the other goal. When she reached the ice in front of the benches, she stopped. Jane was still looking at her and she waited until Jane caught up and stopped next to her.

"New girl, right?" Jane asked. "You trying to impress me or something?" The voice was dull, lifeless, and Nicole had problems figuring out if Jane was teasing her or simply annoyed.

"New girl, yes. I'm Nicole Taylor. But not trying to impress" she smiled softly. "Just trying to get your attention."

Jane looked at her, from top to bottom, before she chuckled briefly. "Okay, you got it. Welcome to the team, I'm Jane."

Nicole had no way of controlling her grin. "Oh, I know who you are! I'm probably your biggest fan!"

Jane was obviously surprised by the look of her big eyes. "Seriously? Wow…"

"Yeah, I've followed you since you were drafted. I think you're a really amazing player. I love how ambitious you are, and not letting anything get in your way. I still can't believe I'm here right now, but I hope I one day will become half the player you are." She realized she had probably said too much, but controlling her mouth was not her strength. She anxiously watched as Jane seemed to digest it all.

"Damn…" Jane mumbled. "Now I really _have_ to perform" she smiled. "But thanks…"

Nicole grinned, happy with the response. "You're welcome" she teased back.

* * *

 ** _Seattle Cruises over Boston_**

 _Despite Nicole Taylor's debut and an early goal from Amy Wallace, Boston couldn't handle Heather Thompson's old team, Seattle, this time. The Devils seemed to stumble already at the starting line and could never get the rhythm back in their play. Seattle got an easy 5-1 win in Boston._

 _Taylor got her debut on the second line alongside Vicky Draper and Amy Wallace, who had been moved up from the third line because of Jane Rizzoli's suspension, but the trio didn't seem to have that important chemistry. We have seen coach Landers mix up the lines during practices since Taylor was called up, but none of the pairings had more chemistry than Draper, Taylor and Rizzoli. Especially the latter two. Rizzoli and Taylor seemed to connect right away on the ice, but they have to wait one more game to be able to show it._

 _The Devils are headed to Maine for their next game before Rizzoli is back in action against, Atlanta on home ice._

* * *

Sulking after a loss wasn't different up in the big league than what Nicole was used to on the farmer team. They were all pissed and upset, no one wanted to talk. Nicole wiped a towel over her face when Jane entered the locker room and headed straight for her.

"Hey, nice job tonight" Jane smiled and sat down next to Nicole.

"Yeah, right…" Nicole scoffed.

Jane held out a puck with white tape covering the sides, the date scribbled down in black. "I mean it, you did a good job. And congrats, it was your first game."

Nicole looked up and accepted the puck from her very first WNHL game. "Thanks. I wish it would say point instead of game on this one though. Or goal."

"It'll come." Jane leaned a bit closer. "It's not like you had the best working conditions out there tonight" she whispered and let her eyes trail to Wallace.

Nicole saw it and it brought a smile to her face. "No kidding…" she whispered back. Several times throughout the game, Wallace had frustrated Nicole. She was used to being the playmaker, she was used to be the one with the assists, the great passes, but that was impossible when someone else hogged the puck whenever they could. Nicole remembered the beginning of the season with the news on Jane and Wallace's fight, and it made her wonder if Wallace was trying to prove something now that she had been given the chance in her old spot again.

"Hang in there, I'll be taking my spot back soon" Jane smiled and got up. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Even though she got along well with Jane and they quickly became friends, Nicole still saw glimpse of that sad and lost person from the first meeting. Jane didn't seem to be 'the life of the party' like so many of her teammates had described her before. She often worked out all by herself, or stayed behind after practice. Nicole didn't want to intrude either, so she didn't say anything or offer to stay behind with her. It probably was a reason for Jane's loner attitude.

When the team returned back to Boston after their game against Maine, Nicole was so frustrated and asked Jane if they could meet. After loading off the equipment at the rink, Nicole headed to the bar where Jane had said she'd be waiting. She saw the brunette right away and sank down in the booth. "I am so, so, so freaking happy that you're allowed to play again now…" she sighed.

"What happened?" Jane asked and pushed a bottle of Coke towards Nicole.

"You're… not really too fond of Wallace, right?" Even though she knew the answer, Nicole felt like she had to tread lightly anyway.

Jane laughed. "If you claim to be my biggest fan, then you should know the answer to that."

"Right… just had to check" she smiled and wrapped her hands around the cold bottle. "So I guess it's safe to vent… I can't stand that girl!" It came out as a frustrated whine. "She's fucking selfish! It's like she's trying to prove something to coach and she actually thinks it will work to basically play solo whenever our line is on."

Jane smiled and looked down at the table. "Welcome to my world…" she mumbled.

"But the worst part is… she doesn't even see that she totally fucks up everything for us! Whenever she tries to go all fancy and do all sorts of complicated shit, she loses the puck. I counted at least ten times tonight where she should've sent the puck to one of us, but instead she tried to weasel herself out of trouble. Please tell me that this is not what coach is looking for?" Once again Nicole knew the answer, but she still looked at Jane to have her confirm it.

"If it was, do you think she would be on the third line? No, don't worry. I can promise you he's not impressed. And I know exactly how you feel. It's awful right?"

"It's painful! I felt like ripping out my own hair would be better…"

Jane laughed again just as the waiter came over with a bowl of nuts. She nodded as a thank you before she grabbed a pistachio nut and opened it. "Yup. I know that feeling too."

Nicole slowly shook her head and exhaled deeply, she could almost feel the frustration and anger leaving her body. She took a sip of her bottle before reaching for the bowl of pistachios. "Sorry for dragging your ass out here just to hear me rant about this but… I didn't know what else to do. I'm afraid I would hurt myself if I attacked the punching bag."

"No problem" Jane replied and opened another pistachio. "I had a feeling it was about her when you called."

They sat there for a few minutes eating pistachios and chatting about the game. Jane had only seen half of the game on tv, but still had some situations she complimented Nicole on.

Nicole was quickly up on cloud nine again. Receiving compliments from your personal hero wasn't something that happened every day. She soaked up all the small things Jane mentioned about her game, the improvements, what she had done right and whatever tips Jane had. Nicole listened right up until Jane grabbed one pistachio that barely had a crack in it. She tried to open it, but quickly gave up and put it aside before she reached for a new one. "Dude, what are you doing?" Nicole interrupted and grabbed Jane's wrist.

"What?" Jane asked confused.

"You know how much that one nut costs? That's like 10 cents right there! And probably twice or triple that here."

Jane burst out laughing when Nicole slowly let go of her wrist. "What?" she repeated. "You're weird…"

Nicole reached for the unopened nut on the table and held it up. "I might be weird, but I'm also broke, so this one does not get thrown away."

Jane snapped the nut from Nicole and put it down. "I can totally afford it" she grinned, but reached for the bottle opener on the side of the table. "But fine, I'll humor you with this one."

"Thank you" Nicole smiled. She watched as Jane smashed the bottle opener on top of the nut, trying not to squeeze her fingers. It still stayed intact and Jane cursed under her breath. The opener wasn't that big either and Jane had trouble managing it and at the same time trying to get enough power to crack the nut. "You need help?" Nicole offered after the second time.

"From a teenager, no thank you" Jane replied with a sarcastic twist. She tried one more time, this time laying the opener on the nut and holding it there with two fingers before she closed her fist and slammed it down.

Nicole burst out laughing when the nut was crushed into several dozen small pieces and exploded all over the table.

Jane looked up at her with a not so amused expression while she brushed pieces off her shoulder. "That was way better than throwing it away…"

"It certainly was funnier…"

Ignoring the evil glare from Jane, Nicole reached out and grabbed the biggest piece and threw it in her mouth. She smiled triumphantly while she chewed.

* * *

 ** _It's Good to Be a Devil!_**

 _At least for Nicole Taylor who scored her first goal in her third game for Boston against New York. Having Jane Rizzoli on her right side was obviously the right choice for Taylor. Rizzoli handed her a beautiful no-look, backhand pass from the goal line, and Taylor had no problem getting it into the net. She followed up with an assist on Rizzoli's goal later in the game. The game ended with 3-0 to Boston._

 _Coach Landers said he never really doubted where Taylor would play after she had her first practice with the team._

 _"_ _It was clear the second I paired Taylor with Rizzoli in practice. They clicked right away and everyone could see the chemistry between them. I'm pretty sure Taylor would've had her first point in her first game if Rizzoli hadn't been suspended. We are all very excited to see what this duo can do from now."_

 _Us too, coach. It was fun to watch how well they played together after such a short time, even the main person was a bit surprised._

 _"_ _I honestly didn't think it would pay off this fast to play with Rizzoli. I was just as surprised as you when I saw my shot go in. But Jane gave me a perfect pass, even though she didn't know I was there at all. She took a chance because it was where she would've positioned herself. That shows just how similar our thinking is, and that is rare to find."_

 _Anyone who watched the game will probably nod their head and agree with Taylor. It was evident all through the game that Taylor is just as fearless as Rizzoli, and they certainly have the same style of playing. We can't wait to see how this double threat will turn out._

* * *

The sand trickled between her toes as she lifted her feet, leaving a tingling urge to rub them. She resisted and just dug her feet back in the sand. The sun had done a good job the last ten days, removing the cold winter that seemed to have gathered in a thick layer on her skin, but it could not help with the storm on the inside. She was tired of thinking, exhausted by the questions that kept haunting her and bothering her. She could never find an answer that satisfied her mind and her heart. Ever since January started 15 days ago, she had ignored all kinds of media. She didn't read the newspaper, she never watched TV and she didn't go online other than to check her e-mail and book tickets. It was a way to shield herself from everything while she tried to get back up on her feet, until she had come to some sort of agreement with herself. The problem was her mind and her heart, they were completely on opposite sides.

She eventually stood up, grabbed her shoes and walked barefoot along the beach back to the hotel. She spent the rest of the evening watching the sun set in the Pacific Ocean, flashbacks playing on the giant black screen the sun left behind.

 _Maura didn't even have a chance to move before Ryan had pushed her inside and closed the door. He held her elbow and looked at her. Maura threw a glance into the living room where friends and colleagues of Ryan were gathered, all engaged in loud conversations._

 _"_ _Maura… can you please explain who that was and why she was here now?" His voice was low and polite, obviously not wanting to attract any kind of attention._

 _"_ _She is one of the players" Maura replied, voice unsteady. "The newest one." She knew it was not the answer he was looking for but she had to try._

 _"_ _Not the correct answer, Maura. Why was she here?"_

 _"_ _Can we please talk about this tomorrow? It's New Year's Eve, it's not the right time." Maura looked up into his eyes and was about to beg him to let it go for the night._

 _"_ _No, we cannot talk about this tomorrow" Ryan mumbled and headed for the stairs, his hand still holding on to Maura's arm. He faked a smile as one of his friends saw them and smirked, thinking they were sneaking off to be alone. Ryan hurried up to the bedroom, closed the door behind them and finally released Maura's arm. "What is going on? And why do I have a feeling I'm not gonna like the answer?"_

 _Maura clasped her hands in front of her and stepped away from him. "I… I don't know." She silenced and stopped with her back against him._

 _"_ _She seemed angry and sad. She said you hadn't told her about me." The lawyer in Ryan emerged as he went over the facts. "What happened between you two that wouldn't have happened if she had known about me?"_

 _"_ _We have a house full of guests, Ryan. This can wait-"_

 _"_ _No! It can't wait. I'm not gonna go downstairs and pretend I want to kiss you at midnight. I am not going to sleep next to you before I know what's going on, before I know if you are sleeping with that girl or not."_

 _"_ _I'm not sleeping with her!"_

 _"_ _So why does it sound like you are?" Ryan crossed his arms over his chest while he kept staring at Maura across the room. The silence that followed made him think. "You want to" he scoffed._

 _Maura knew she should say something, but she couldn't even agree with herself on what to say. She had not expected these turns of events._

 _Ryan grew more and more confident for each second that passed. "You want to" he more or less stated. "You want to sleep with her."_

 _"_ _I don't know!" Maura blurted out and turned around. "I don't know. I'm confused."_

 _"_ _Is that why we haven't had sex in three weeks? Because you've been confused about who you want in your bed? Is that it?"_

 _"_ _You've been counting?!" Maura countered._

 _Ryan laughed briefly. "You don't have any right to go there, Maura." Silence settled again and he took a deep breath before his arms fell down along his sides. "I think we're done here." His hand was on the doorknob when Maura hurried over._

 _"_ _No, Ryan, wait. We are engaged, we have to be able to talk about this."_

 _"_ _Really? Fine, if that's what you want." He placed his hands on his hips. "Then tell me what happened between you and… I don't even know her name."_

 _"_ _Jane" Maura offered._

 _"_ _I wasn't asking!" he shouted._

 _Maura flinched from the voice and took a step back. She had never been genuinely scared of him, he wasn't the type to ever physically hurt anyone, just with words. "We just kissed" she explained weakly._

 _"_ _When? When was the last time?"_

 _She closed her eyes and tried not to shake her head. "Tonight."_

 _"_ _Ah, fucking hell…"_

 _Maura opened her eyes to see Ryan pacing around with his hands behind his neck._

 _He suddenly stopped and looked at her. "She didn't know about me" he scoffed. "She thought you two had something, didn't she?"_

 _Maura simply nodded and looked away._

 _"_ _Well, she was right about one thing; she doesn't know you, and neither do I." This time he managed to open the door before Maura reacted._

 _"_ _Ryan…"_

 _"_ _No" he stopped her. "Don't ask me to stay. How could I when I can't trust you? You spend more time with_ her _and the team than with me. You are gone most of the time because of the road trips. Oh god… I don't even wanna know what happens when you're away with her."_

 _"_ _Nothing" Maura said._

 _"_ _So just here in Boston then?" He watched her, waited for anything, an explanation, an excuse, confirmation, but Maura was just staring back at him. He shook his head before he stepped outside. "I'll pick up my things in a few days."_


	17. Chapter 17

**_Trade With Atlanta_**

 _The Boston Daredevils announced this morning that they have traded RW Amy Wallace to Atlanta in return for a second round pick in the draft this summer. It is a surprising move since the Devils are in the middle of a rebuild, but according to GM Chris Stewart, there is no drama behind the move._

 _"_ _We are sorry to see Amy go, but it was a personal request from her. She is a great player and has done a great job in the two seasons she's been with us, and we wish her all the best in Atlanta."_

 _Stewart would not give any more details about the request, but sources say Wallace felt she didn't get the chance she deserves on the team, especially after the arrival of Jane Rizzoli. Wallace played the whole last season on the second line, a spot that Rizzoli now has taken over, Considering the rumored fight earlier this season between the two, the trade might not be that surprising after all._

 _The Devils have no intention of acquiring a player through a trade, but say they have options on their farmer team._

* * *

It was cold in Boston that January, but it didn't stop people from enjoying the winter. The Frog Pond buzzed with life every day and so did the indoor rinks. Some of the girls, including Heather and Jane, were at the Frog Pond one Saturday in between games. It was a tradition every year for the Devils to organize a hockey day outside for girls where several of the players attended, doing their job of getting more girls interested in hockey.

The sun was shining and a lot of people were gathered around the pond, mostly parents and families. First part of the day was set aside for hockey lessons, and Jane, after begging her boss, was teaching the older girls, from 12 to 15 years. She was thankful because she really didn't know how to deal with all the younger ones. That seemed like a better job for Heather. Jane's group consisted of 20 girls, most of them with their own jersey, and even though Jane had two of her team mates there, it still was a bit terrifying.

She felt a bit better as soon as they hit the ice and started the classes. Jane saw right away that these girls were really excited about hockey and it made teaching them stuff so much easier. Louisa had dressed up as the goalie for the day and was in goal as the girls practiced their shooting. Jane noticed Danielle had arrived at the pond as they were about to end the classes and have lunch. She skated over to the railings while still keeping an eye on the girls.

"Wow" Danielle said and acted like she was shocked. "You and a bunch of kids, never thought I'd see that!"

Jane scoffed and smiled. "Not the first time, we did the same in Denver."

"Well, I didn't see that. Now go teach, so I can laugh some more."

Jane rolled her eyes. "You're so nice. We're about to finish anyway. Luckily…"

"Oh yay… By the way, did you read the news today?"

"Yeah" Jane nodded and smiled. "I should be shocked and sad that we're losing a player, but I can't stop smiling!"

Danielle laughed and leaned her arms on the railing. "Me too. And I think it was the best for everyone…"

"Totally, but don't tell anyone I said that!" Jane pointed a finger at her friend but it just looked stupid because of the glove. "Anyway, I gotta head back. Lunch is next. You staying?"

"Sure" Danielle nodded. "The café at the corner?"

Jane held up a thumb before she skated back as she heard Amanda, her teammate, wrap it up.

"Alright, I think that's it. Someone told me it's lunchtime soon, and I'm pretty sure Jane doesn't want to miss that."

The girls all turned to her, and Jane smiled at Amanda. "What? I can't be the only one who loves food right? Anyone else here love food?" She looked at the kids who were all raising their hands and shouting 'me, me'. "That's what I thought!" Jane laughed.

Louisa joined them as well and looked over at the other side of the pond where the younger girls were still skating around. "Looks like we still have some time. We could do questions if anyone have any?" She exchanged looks with Jane and Amanda who both nodded.

The first questions were all directed at Louisa. Someone wanted to know if it was scary to be a goalie, and then if it hurt. They were all simple and expected questions.

"How does it feel when you score a goal?"

Louisa laughed. "Well, I've never scored a goal in a game before and since Amanda plays defense and doesn't usually score…" She slowly turned to Jane. "Then maybe Jane should answer this one."

"It feels awesome!" Jane smiled and looked at the girl who had asked the question. "And I bet you feel just as awesome when you score."

"How many goals have you scored?" another girl asked.

Jane whistled. "Wow, I have no idea. I scored a lot of goals when I was a kid. So my answer is many." She looked over at a girl close to her who was raising her hand. "Yes?"

"How long are you gonna play for Devils?"

"I'm not sure. That is up to my coach and my boss."

"I hope you stay here forever, cause you're my favorite player" the girl added.

Both Louisa and Amanda smiled at Jane, and Jane melted. "Aw… thanks! That was really nice of you to say." She smiled at the girl. "And I really like to play for the Devils so I hope I can stay here a long time too."

Jane completely lost focus after that, but fortunately it didn't take long before the other group was wrapping up and the kids skated off to eat. Jane had heard so many times before that she was someone's favorite player, but that was usually from adults, not a 12-year old girl. It was really touching and inspiring to hear a little girl say those words.

Jane met Danielle at a café nearby and immediately warmed her hands on the cup of coffee Danielle had ordered for her. "God, I'm glad I'm playing games indoors now" she shivered.

"You usually move around more when you play too, unlike today" Danielle smiled.

Jane took a slow sip of her coffee. "True. Have you ordered anything?"

"Yeah, I ordered a sandwich for you. I figured you didn't have much time." Danielle received a thankful smile before she looked down at her own coffee. "How are you holding up?"

"It's no big deal, it's just for today. I actually think it's in our contract to-"

"Jane. I meant Maura."

The name had a chilling effect on Jane who stopped everything. She met Danielle's eyes for a short moment before looking down at the table. Her hands gripped tighter around the coffee cup, and her jaw clenched.

For anyone else, it looked like anger, but Danielle wasn't just anyone. "Do you miss her?"

Jane sighed. "She's not here. Let's just leave it at that."

"She's been gone two weeks, and you haven't mentioned her once."

"Maybe there's a reason for it…"

"I know" Danielle said softly. "There's a reason why I haven't mentioned her too. I know you're trying to focus on your game, and you probably wouldn't have talked about her anyway if I asked." She silenced while she watched Jane's shoulders lower again. "But you can't ignore this forever. She will be back, and it might be soon."

Jane looked up and scoffed. "So what? What am I supposed to do when she returns? Smile and welcome her back? Ask how her leave was?"

"No" Danielle smiled. "But don't you want to talk to her? Aren't you curious about what happened and what happens now?"

"Can we please talk about something else? I don't want to talk about her…" Jane mostly mumbled the last few words while she traced the pattern on her coffee cup with her thumb.

Danielle eyed her friend and was not surprised by the roller coaster mood, but it was obvious Jane missed the doctor. She just wasn't in the mood for Danielle to drag it out of her. "Alright…" Danielle agreed. "Then tell me about this new rookie you seem to get along pretty well with…"

Jane looked up as she heard the slightly displeased tone in Danielle's voice. She slowly started to smile. "Oh my god, Heather was right…"

"About what?" Danielle asked, but knew the innocent look on her face wasn't much innocent.

"She warned me that you would be jealous" Jane chuckled.

"Jealous? Of that girl? No way" Danielle argued just for fun. "Just because you have spent more time with her than me the last two weeks doesn't mean I'm jealous…"

Jane crossed her arms on the edge of the table and leaned over. "Dani, come on, _you_ are my best friend" she teased. "You'll always be."

Danielle started to laugh at the stupid puppy eyes across the table.

"Nicole will never take your place. I just…" Jane stopped and stifled a laugh. "Play with her…"

The waitress came over with their food and she left the table with a smile of her own from the cheerful laughter from her customers.

"Okay, seriously" Danielle said and took a deep breath. "You do seem to get along, and you certainly play well together." The serious tone in her voice vanished as she started to laugh again.

"We do" Jane grinned. "And yeah, we're getting along. She's fun to have around. Doesn't hurt that she claims to be my biggest fan either. Makes it a bit fun-" The sound of cutlery falling down on a plate made her look up.

Danielle was staring at her, hands still up in the air over the plate. "She is NOT your biggest fan!" she muttered.

"Oh right!" Jane laughed. " _That_ was what Heather said you would be jealous about, not the friendship…"

Danielle slowly picked up the knife while she was still looking at Jane. "I don't like her" she mumbled, one corner of her mouth curling up.

Jane took a bite of her sandwich while smiling. "She's assisted on two of my goals in the two games we've played together. You better step up your game here, Dani."

What Jane managed to hear from Danielle's mumbling that followed was something about kissing an ass, but there was really no need to have it explained further.

* * *

"What the hell, Rizzoli? Do you know how hard it is to find one person in a city of a billion people?"

Jane turned around by the mention of her name and was surprised to see Heather walking up to her. "How the hell _did_ you find me?" She was pretty sure she didn't tell anyone where she was going when she left the hotel. They had barely arrived in Los Angeles when Jane had taken off on her own. There was something about the road trips that made her miss Maura.

"Did you know that facebook has this nifty little thing that shares your location when you message people?" Heather stopped by Jane's left side and leaned her arms on the low, white stonewall outside the Griffith Observatory.

Jane mimicked the position and went back to staring out over the city. "Stupid internet…" She had replied to Heather's nosy message on facebook, in hopes of calming down her friend and still get some time alone. "You went through facebook on purpose, didn't you?"

Heather just smiled. "So why are you up here?" She took in the view of Los Angeles at sunset. Day turned into night, and the city was about to come alive. "Or that's perhaps a stupid question… Wow, it's beautiful."

"Yeah… it is" Jane mumbled.

They stood in silence and watched the last rays of the sun disappear behind the hill. Then Heather slowly turned to Jane and studied her. "Hold on… This is the perfect time and place for a Rizzoli seduction. Sunset, stunning view, stars… Are you meeting someone?"

Jane just shook her head, which was not the reaction Heather expected. At all.

"So why are you here, looking like a sad little puppy?" She had learned a lot about Jane the last 4 months. She knew what pissed her off, she knew how to tease her. And she knew she was on thin ice right now.

"Just wanted to get away from it all." A sad little puppy indeed. Jane had never sounded so unhappy before.

"Why?"

No response and Heather tried to understand it all. The only thing that could turn Jane into this mess was hockey. But Jane was playing the best games of her life. She was on fire, she was healthy and quickly becoming the most popular girl in Boston after the news article. She could have whoever she wanted… And just like that it was all so clear.

"You miss her…"

The words were more of a statement than a question, but Jane confirmed it. Her eyes closed and her head dropped a little bit lower. Heather decided not to push her limits and patiently waited for Jane to speak.

"Yeah, I miss her… and it pisses me off. I should be mad at her. She blamed me for everything, and left. And don't even try to tell me how she was hurt and shocked and all that shit when she blamed me."

"I'm not. You're right, you should be mad at her. So why aren't you? She never told you she was engaged, she led you on and when it all fell apart, she blamed you. So why aren't you out picking up girls and having a good time? Why are you up here with me, looking at this god damn beautiful city and moping over an affair that crashed?"

Jane sighed. "Because it wasn't just an affair." She turned to Heather who seemed surprised, and Jane remembered that Danielle was the only one who knew all the details. No one else knew about the heated argument after the last game, or those kisses that followed. "She cared about me, I know she did. And if she was here right now, I would forget about everything, kiss her and throw you over the edge so I could enjoy this with her instead."

Heather couldn't stop that little smile that appeared, at least Jane hadn't lost her humor in it all. But she quickly wiped that smile off her face. "You're in love with her?"

A simple nod confirmed it all.

Heather put her arm around Jane's shoulder and sighed. "Shit… Does she know?"

"I… I think so. I mean, I think I said something to indicate it, yeah. But I totally fucked up everything, and then she left, and now I'm scared shitless for when she comes back. If she does…"

"You don't think she will come back?"

"I don't know what I think" Jane sighed. "I'm all over the place these days. I've never been this emotional before, one minute I'm angry, the next I'm about to freaking cry. And it's all because of her! But she was right; I kinda did ruin her relationship. Because of my big mouth and my tendency to think after I speak I pretty much told her guy that something was going on. I didn't even give her a choice, I just threw her into the fire."

"Hey!" Heather retracted her arm and forced Jane to turn around. "Don't say that. She had a choice the first moment when she didn't tell you about him. This isn't your fault, and if she was fooling around with you, then maybe her relationship wasn't that good to start with. I get that you're upset and mad, and I also understand that she needed some time off, but you can't go around worrying about her return now. Cross that bridge when you get to it."

"You know what, it's so annoying that you're always so reasonable and grown up! It's like you were born an adult!" Jane complained.

Heather smiled widely. "Not the first time I've heard that, not even the first time I've heard it from you!"

Jane chuckled and shook her head.

"You want to head back to the hotel, order room service and catch a movie?"

"Are you asking me out on a date? Cause I'm kinda unavailable at the moment" Jane smirked.

Heather laughed and mentally high fived herself. At least Jane was joking. "Asshole…" she mumbled.

They went back to their hotel and as they stepped out of the elevator and turned the corner on their floor, they saw Nicole standing outside their door.

"Oh hey, I was just looking for you" she explained. "Wondered if you wanted to do something tonight."

Heather found her key card and opened the door. "Are you hungry? We were gonna order room service and catch a movie, if you wanna join us?"

Nicole looked from Heather to Jane, as to make sure Jane was okay with it, but Jane simply stood there with her hands in her pockets, pressing her lips into a thin line. "You sure?" Nicole asked.

Jane threw a glance at Heather before she whipped her head towards the door. "Come on."

They quickly ordered dinner and even managed to decide a movie without too much hassle. As they waited for the food, Nicole stood by the windows and looked out at the million lights. "Jane, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Sleeping I guess…" Jane muttered from her bed where she was stretched out, her feet almost dangling outside the bed.

"No, come on… let's do something. We're in fucking Hollywood!" Nicole exclaimed and turned around with a huge smile.

Jane raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "So…?"

"So… I've never been here before. There's so much stuff to see!" She pretty much jumped on Jane's bed and sat down with her feet crossed. "Walk of fame, Sunset Blvd, Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood sign, Beverly Hills, the studios, Santa Monica… Come on, say you'll join me tomorrow!"

Jane sighed, not feeling very enthusiastic about it all. "Do I have to? I hate that touristy stuff…"

"Yes, you have to. Cause you really don't want to send me out there all by myself. Cause if I get lost, you will have to come find me. And I probably will get lost. And you'll be frustrated and much more annoyed than if you come with me."

Heather chuckled from her bed and got a glare from Jane. "You're on her side, aren't you?" Jane asked.

"Yeah. She has a good point. You would be pretty cranky if she got lost and you would have to find her. Besides, you could use some cultural distraction for a day. And, she's your lines mate…"

Jane kept glaring at Heather and threw in a sigh for extra effect before she turned back to the tv. "Two against one is really not fair, but fine… I'll go with you. But I decide lunch and dinner!" she bargained.

"Deal" Nicole grinned.

* * *

The last note of the national anthem died out in the arena and Jane started to move out on the ice again. She slowly skated around and was quickly joined by Nicole.

"You ready to make some magic?" she grinned.

Jane nodded. "Hell yeah! Double trouble coming up!"

It was a silly thing they had adapted from the news articles about them, and it had turned into a ritual before every game. The media seemed to love the two of them, and it was a motivation for them both. They ended their ritual with a high five and a lower high five as they passed each other. Of course the rest of the team teased them about it, but neither Jane nor Nicole cared.

The two teams gathered at the faceoff and Jane put her stick on the ice and carefully leaned on it. She felt ready. She had to admit the day out and about with Nicole had been refreshing and it had gotten her thoughts on other things than Maura and the mess they had created. She had even realized that Heather had actually given her a good advice; no use in creating worries. Jane knew she had plenty of time to freak out when Maura was physically back.

The Devils went to first intermission with a 1-0 lead, and the coach tried to urge them on to put a few more in the net in the second period. Jane and Nicole spent the entire break discussing what they had to change in order to make that magic they both wanted. As they got up to head back onto the ice, Jane pushed Nicole in front of her like she always did. Heather was the last one out of the locker room, right behind Jane. The staff was lined up in the tunnel, bumping fists with all the players. Jane was about to bump her fist with the last one when she caught a glimpse of someone down the hall to her right. She froze mid-bump and stopped so sudden that Heather walked right into her.

Down the hall, in a long, white coat, with her hair falling softly onto her shoulders, was Maura, chatting with coach Landers.

Jane stood there with her mouth open, holding her breath and gripping the stick with all her might. She felt sick, like she wanted to pass out. It didn't get much better when Maura turned and made eye contact. They stood there, looking at each other and Jane couldn't even focus enough to see if Maura was still angry or not. A shove in her back brought her back.

"Jane, keep moving" Heather ordered in a low and serious voice. She had obviously seen the doctor too.

"Why? Why is she here?" Jane mumbled as she was pushed down the last feet of the tunnel. "What the fuck is she doing here?!"

"I don't know, Jane. But you gotta keep moving."

They reached the end of the tunnel where Nicole was waiting, looking at them. "Something wrong?" she asked as Heather guided Jane to the bench.

"Not now" Heather said firmly before she looked at Jane. "Ignore it. We've still got 40 minutes to play." She put one hand on Jane's shoulder and made eye contact. "Jane, please do whatever you can to ignore it. I need to know you'll make it through the game."

Jane seemed paralyzed and was just staring back at Heather. The referees signaled the drop, and Heather looked out on the ice. It was her shift and she needed to go out there.

"Fuck it…" Jane suddenly mumbled and shook her head.

Heather was still not sure about Jane's behavior, but she needed to get on the ice so she turned to Nicole. "Keep an eye on her for me. I can't explain, just…"

Nicole nodded and smiled softly. "I got it. Go."

Heather took one last look at Jane before she jumped over the boards and the game could resume. Jane sat down on the bench, still paralyzed and with thousands of questions running through her head. None of them had anything to do with the game.

Jane's first shift was a complete mess. She couldn't focus if her life was on the line, and too often she caught herself looking towards the bench and the tunnel. Nicole was worried and spent too much energy watching Jane and wondering what the hell was going on that turned her into a zombie within seconds. They made it through the shift, but as Jane was gliding towards the bench and the open door, she looked up and down the tunnel right in front of her. Maura was standing there, too far away to see anything that happened on the ice, but she had a perfect view to the open door. Jane stepped off the ice but stopped and held Maura's eyes for a while. She thought she could see the hint of a smile on the doctor's face before she turned around and left. Jane stared after her and wanted to run after her, pulling Maura into her arms and get far away from everyone. But her mind had other plans. She was suddenly furious about it all. Maura had shown up, at a game far away from Boston, only to do what? Show herself to Jane and smile before she turned her back on her again?

Jane looked down at the stick in her hand, resting on the floor and without thinking, she lifted her leg and snapped the stick in two with her skate, like a warm knife through butter. "Fuck it!" she groaned and threw the splintered stick into a corner before she sat down. Some of the girls looked at her, but didn't give it much thought as they believed Jane was only frustrated with her own effort on the ice. Nicole knew better, and wanted to do or say something, but she was actually a bit scared. So she let it slide.

The next shift for Jane and Nicole went better, and Jane seemed to have snapped out of her zombie mode. Instead she was angry and used her emotions to get back in the game. She followed through on every single hit and check, setting a personal best for hits on a single shift. Nicole watched in awe at the end of their shift and realized Jane had barely touched the puck during those 90 seconds, which was unusual. They were headed back to the bench when a girl on the other team made a teasing remark about Jane, and then everything went to hell.

Jane snapped. She did a 180 and headed straight towards Chappell, no 46 on the LA Suns. "What did you say?" she snarled as she got up in her face.

Chappell smiled. "Aren't you supposed to be the hotshot player? I haven't seen you make one single play tonight."

"You don't know shit!" Jane gave Chappell a shove. Her blood was boiling and she hoped Chappell would take the bait and give her a chance to get out some frustration.

"Oh yeah? I know that they overpay you on the east coast!" Chappell shoved back.

Jane laughed before she dropped her gloves and Chappell did the same. She was about to grab Chappell's jersey when Nicole stepped between them and grabbed Jane's jersey.

"No, no, no! You're not doing that!" Nicole growled.

Jane fought to get free, but Nicole was quick to grab Jane by the elbows and limit her reach. "Let me go, Nicki!"

Nicole shook her head and pushed Jane away from the crowd of angry players and frustrated referees. "I'm not letting you fight, Jane! I have no fucking idea what's going on, but you're not getting yourself suspended again!"

"I don't give a shit!" Jane's face was starting to turn red.

"I know. But I need you on the ice for the rest of the season. The whole team needs you on the ice. And I'm not gonna let you fight! Dammit, Jane! You're better than this!"

Jane found herself being pushed up against the glass and was staring at Nicole. "You have no fucking idea what's going on!"

"Oh yeah?" Nicole lowered her voice. "Then tell me, Jane. What's going on? What has turned you into this furious mess? If you have a good reason to fight this bitch, then I'll gladly be your fucking cheerleader." Nicole was calm, and finally managed to silence Jane's mouth and body. She didn't try to wrestle herself out of Nicole's grip anymore.

Jane stared at Nicole's blue eyes for a few moments before she swallowed. "Let me go…" she sighed defeated. She almost expected an ultimatum, that Nicole would let her go if she promised to cool down, but Nicole was silent and slowly released her grip on Jane's arms. Jane was surprised. She was so used to Danielle or Heather not trusting her in situations like that, so she stood perfectly still in front of Nicole and just looked at her. She barely heard the referee calling out penalties to both her and Chappell, and within seconds, one of the referees were grabbing her arm and escorting her to the penalty box. Nicole turned around and gathered Jane's gloves and stick and delivered it to her before she went over to the bench and sat down.

"Thanks…" Heather sighed relieved beside her.

"Yeah… no worries" Nicole mumbled and leaned her head back. The clock showed 35 more minutes of hockey before she could breathe out.

* * *

 ** _Two Straight Losses_**

 _The Devils had to return home to Boston with an awful road trip to Oklahoma and Los Angeles. They couldn't keep up with Los Angeles Suns this time and lost 1-2 in over-time. Even though the score was much better than in Oklahoma (2-5), the plays weren't that much better. The Rizzoli/Taylor duo that started with a bang before the road trip (total of 8 points in two games), seemed to struggle and the chemistry they possessed from the beginning, was lacking. Hopefully they will fight back in a few days when Washington comes to a visit._

* * *

Nicole could never get used to sleeping on planes and despite being drained after the game, she was wide awake on the red eye flight back to Boston. Most of the people were asleep and the cabin was quiet except for the monotone hum of the engines. The lights had been dimmed and Nicole was sitting in her seat next to the aisle and studying another person who obviously couldn't sleep. Jane sat on the other side of the aisle, one row in front of Nicole and was staring straight ahead, lost in thoughts. She had barely said a word since the game, and Nicole couldn't stop her curious mind from trying to solve the puzzle.

It was rather impossible. The only thing she knew was that something had happened between the locker room and the ice before the second period. But no one wanted to tell her anything, not that she expected anyone to, and she could only guess. After following Jane's career for the last four years, Nicole knew Jane was intense and often let her feelings lead the way. But she had also learned that Jane was a private person. Not once had she seen or heard Jane talk about her personal life outside the games. Except for the brief news article after New Year's, Nicole had never found anything about any girlfriend or her family. Even now when she was on the inside, she still hadn't heard Jane talk about exes or a possible girlfriend. So Nicole felt completely lost in the middle of the mess.

Jane regretted one thing as they landed in Boston closer to 1.30am Sunday morning and was waiting for their luggage; that she didn't take her own car to the airport. She had shared a car with Heather and Nicole to the airport, and was now forced to drive back with them. Luckily they were all tired and no one even bothered to lighten the mood or hold a conversation. Jane sat still and stared into the darkness. She was anxious about Monday and the practice. Or more specifically, she wondered if Maura was back by then, if her little appearance at the game was a subtle hint that Jane should prepare for some more awkwardness and anger the following days. Just the thought made her want to slam her fist into the seat, and she had to fight to keep still. As soon as she got to her own apartment, she could do whatever the hell she wanted or needed. Perhaps her punching bag would have a meeting with her fists that night.

* * *

 **AN:** Guys... do you really think I have the guts to bring in a new love interest for either one of them now? Nope... I brought Nicole into this because I needed someone that could give Jane a boost on the ice. And perhaps a new view on everything else...?  
When I started writing this monster I already knew I didn't want to give away too much from Maura's POV, I wanted this to be a story about Jane. That means that you (the reader) doesn't know much more than Jane knows about certain things. It might be frustrating, but I believe (and hope) that everything will add up eventually. If I would give you all the details right away, it wouldn't be a very interesting story.


	18. Chapter 18

Jane walked into the locker room just after 10.30 Monday morning, and Nicole tried to greet her but got only a muffled 'hi' back. Heather saw and heard it too, and exchanged a few looks with Nicole across the room. The tension was clearly still there, but it was oblivious to the rest of the team. Nicole tried not to take it personally, instead she continued to put on her gear and skates and let Jane have her privacy. She occasionally looked up at Jane and took a closer look at her face. Jane looked tired, more tired than she had looked the day before when Nicole had managed to convince her to go for a run. She honestly thought it would be a good idea to get Jane out. They didn't have to talk and a run seemed like a good way to clear their heads. Nicole knew she needed it, but it hadn't turned out the way she thought.

Jane had been stressed, pushing herself all the way. Nicole had had trouble to keep up with Jane's tempo at times and the whole thing had absolutely not cleared her head at all. She was just more frustrated about everything and had been on the verge to knock Jane out if she had to, to get some answers to what was going on.

The room slowly cleared, and as Jane was tying her skates, Nicole sat on her spot and waited, fully dressed. She watched as Jane put on her jersey and fastened her helmet. From behind, Jane looked like the big, bad Rizzoli she used to be. Her name and number in white on the red practice jersey, and it always caused Nicole to smile. It was sharp and rough, all straight lines that made it look scary. "Did you get some sleep last night?" Nicole asked as Jane turned around with her gloves in hand.

"Not really" Jane replied.

Nicole got up and followed Jane out of the room. "I can tell… you look exhausted."

"Thanks" Jane scoffed and put on her gloves.

"I don't mean to pry or anything, but I can tell that something is going on. I'm not blind…"

Jane cut her off by stopping and turning around out in the hall. She gave a warning look to Nicole who stopped as well.

"I know… you don't want to talk about it. I get it. And I'm not gonna ask. I'm not stupid either… But you need to sleep, Jane. Maybe you could ask Dr. Isles if she have any id-"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence! I'm gonna say this once!" Jane snarled. "Stop meddling in my life! You don't know me, you don't know anything! So back the hell off!" Her voice was anything but low and soft by the time she stopped talking.

Nicole took a step back, just to be safe because the lightning in Jane's eyes was not a pleasant sight. She held up her hands in surrender. "Okay… I'm sorry…"

Jane gritted her teeth, the muscles contracting around her jaw. She gave Nicole one final look before she turned around and hurried down the hall and past the doctor's office, towards the ice.

Heather was out on the ice when Jane jumped on and set up a frantic pace around the rink. Thirty seconds later, Nicole appeared, looking a bit shocked. Heather felt bad for Nicole and was on her way over to her when Jane put on the brakes and caused a snowstorm next to her.

"Is she back?" Jane spat. "Is she fucking back? Here, right now?"

Heather sighed and skated off to a more secluded corner, knowing Jane would follow close behind. "Yeah, she's back" she confirmed. "She's officially back as of today."

Jane let out a deep sigh before she shook her head and took off.

* * *

"Hey."

Nicole turned around as Heather patted her shoulder.

"You okay?"

She nodded. "I guess. I'm just confused… and frustrated. She basically yelled at me because I said she looked tired. But I can't help it. Whatever shit is going on, she obviously can't handle it."

"She yelled at you?" Heather asked.

"Yeah. I just suggested that she'd see doc if she needed it. You know, to get some help sleeping. Cause I know how sleep can mess you up big time."

Heather slowly nodded. "Yeah, I totally get you. Just… just give her some time. And I know she wouldn't yell at you if it wasn't for this… shit."

Coach Landers' sharp whistle interrupted them and they shared a look before they gathered at the center ice along with the rest. Nicole tried not to pay too much attention to Jane who was standing in the background and barely paying attention. They started the practice with some passing exercises before they continued with their power play. Nicole was given more time on the power play and by the time they stopped for a break, sweat was dripping from her forehead. But still she was smiling as she headed to the bench for her bottle. As she leaned against the board, emptying her bottle of water, Doctor Isles came out from the tunnel and spotted her.

"Hi!" Maura smiled and went over to her. "Nice to see you again, and congratulations!"

"Thanks. And welcome back!" Nicole had only met Maura once before, at the medical tests when she signed her new contract in late August. She was called up the day after Maura took out her leave.

"Thank you. I didn't have time to say hello when I saw you earlier. It wasn't my intention to ignore you." Maura sat down on the bench and crossed her legs.

"No worries. You looked kinda busy anyway."

"So how have you been? You seem to have found your place on the team now."

Nicole grinned and nodded before she starting spitting out all the same adjectives like she usually did when she was asked about the whole experience. She was almost halfway when coach Landers called out that the break was over. She excused herself and went back to the girls.

Barely a minute later, Nicole could finally see what she believed was the source of Jane's misery. She was watching Jane and suddenly Jane froze. She stood there staring at something and didn't move. Nicole followed Jane's gaze back to Maura who was all alone by the benches. There was no one else nearby, and Nicole looked back at Jane just to catch her break the stick with her skate again. Coach Landers stopped talking, all the girls turned to look at Jane and Nicole sighed. She had never seen Maura and Jane in the same room before. It had to be something about Maura that made Jane angry.

"Rizzoli, you okay?" coach Landers asked.

"I'm fine" Jane mumbled and stood there with half a stick in her hand.

"Okay then… go find a new stick and we can continue."

Nicole saw the despair in Jane's eyes as the words were spoken. Getting a new stick meant having to make her way to the benches and to the equipment room just behind. And judging by the look on Jane's face, she would rather be eaten alive. "I'll get it" Nicole blurted out and turned to skate towards the bench. She didn't look back. She rushed to the equipment room and looked frantically for a stick with Jane's name on it. After she found one, she shook her head and chuckled. She should've just looked for the longest ones and she'd spot it in a second!

Jane was staring down at the ice when Nicole returned with her stick and looked up as Nicole held out the stick. "Thanks" Jane mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

Nicole smiled. "I'm the rookie, right? I'm supposed to do all the boring, shitty stuff." She aimed for a humorous approach, but didn't get any response from Jane. She simple looked at her like she wanted to say something, but couldn't.

"Alright, then we can continue" coach Landers announced. He quickly counted the girls. "Let's do a three on three, split up in teams, red versus black as usual."

He didn't need to spend time dividing the girls into teams, they organized themselves right away, and split up into the usual teams. Nicole and Jane was the obvious choice for one of the lines, it had been since the beginning. They quickly found their positions on the ice before coach Landers dropped the puck. Nicole noticed right away the same thing as in LA; Jane went into zombie mode, completely out of sync with Nicole, couldn't focus, but this time Nicole wasn't worried. Instead she felt relieved that she seemed to understand more of the situation.

They didn't stay out on the ice too long before they switched places with the ones on the bench. Nicole sat down, breathing heavily, but Jane stood by the door, as close to the glass at the end as possible. It all was so obvious. Nicole looked to the other side where Maura was sitting between a couple of girls, her eyes focused on the play out on the ice. Jane didn't want to look at Maura, and Nicole knew she had to find out if Maura for some reason had been at the game in Los Angeles.

As they got on the ice again for their next shift, Jane seemed to get back into the rhythm again. She seemed to take out her emotions in her skating and was all over the ice. Playing three on three meant there was a lot of room to move, which suited Nicole perfectly. Whenever they had possession of the puck, they circled around in the zone and tried to stay there. Nicole tried to remember all the small things coach Landers had told her during her short time on the team and keep it in the back of her mind, like where to position herself in front of the goalie to block the view. Jane wasn't back to herself yet and lost track of the puck down in the corner. She went after it but was joined by one from the opposite team. The fought for it, using their sticks and skates but they were stuck there.

Nicole decided to help out, even though it meant the last player on their line was alone against two. She skated down to the corner and approached Jane's right side. She had to get close to be able to reach the puck, but as she stopped right behind Jane, an elbow came flying out of nowhere and hit her in the eye. She stumbled backwards while she shook off her glove and reached for her eye. "Fuck…" she mumbled through clenched teeth. She knew it wasn't on purpose, that Jane had just been fighting for the puck, maybe she didn't even know Nicole was behind her.

Coach Landers blew the whistle and stopped the play. The girls in the corner looked up, and Jane finally saw Nicole grabbing her eye.

Nicole retracted her hand and saw blood on it from a cut underneath her eye. "Crap…" She looked up and started making her way to the bench.

"Taylor, what happened?" coach Landers asked and skated over to her.

"Just an elbow, I'm fine" she replied.

He squinted his eyes and saw right through her lie. "You don't look fine." He looked up as they reached the bench and found Maura's eyes. "Welcome back, doctor" he smiled while he pointed to Nicole.

Nicole stepped off the ice and looked over her shoulder. Jane was still standing there in the corner with an unreadable expression.

"Come, let's get that fixed" Maura said as she walked over to Nicole and put a hand on her back. Nicole being just as tall as Jane, looked like a giant next to the small woman. Even without her skates on she had noticed the difference the first time they met. She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped and Maura looked up at her.

"What?"

"Sorry" Nicole shook her head. "I just feel like a freaking giant next to you right now."

Maura looked down at the skates on Nicole's feet and back up to her bleeding face while she smiled. "I completely understand. I feel rather small to be honest."

Nicole looked over her shoulder again before Maura gently nudged her to get moving.

"How did this really happened?" Maura asked back in her office and wiped the blood off Nicole's cheekbone. "I couldn't see it."

Nicole smiled slightly. "Just an unfortunate elbow. I don't think she even knew I was behind her."

"Who?"

"Jane. She was trying to get the puck out and I guess she moved her arm back just when I got there." Nicole winced as Maura came too close to her eye.

"Oh. I suppose things like this can happen in the blink of an eye sometimes." Maura managed to stop the bleeding and took a closer look. "I think some butterfly strips will be enough here" she said, mostly to herself.

Nicole watched as the doctor found the strips in her cabinet and started to wonder just what the story was between her and Jane to bring out the emotions in Jane. And could the emergency leave have something to do with it?

"So" Maura said as she turned back around. "How are you liking your new team so far?"

"It's awesome!" Nicole blurted out and made Maura chuckle. "I mean, it's what I've been dreaming about since… forever. And I'm doing pretty good as well if I may say so. At least now when I have players around me that I feel comfortable and have chemistry with. The two first games were freaking horrible."

Maura carefully placed the strips over the cut, mumbling a sorry when Nicole winced from the pain. She placed the last strip, gently pressing at the end, before she lowered her hands and straightened. "But you seem to play well with Jane?"

Nicole nodded. "Yeah. We just seemed to understand each other right away, so thank god for that! Playing with her is much easier than playing with… anyone else." She didn't really want to complain about Wallace in front of the doctor and barely saved herself. She had no idea what the others beside Jane felt about Wallace, and opening her big mouth wasn't really a smart move in the beginning.

"That is good to hear." Maura stopped to take a look at Nicole's eye. "That is most likely going to swell. I will find you an ice pack." She went back to her cabinets and kneeled in front of the lower ones. "So… are you and Jane friends off the ice too?"

The tone in Maura's voice caught Nicole's attention. She sounded almost nervous. "Yeah" Nicole answered before she swallowed and decided to test a theory. "Although she's not very happy with me at the moment…" The response was immediate.

"Oh?" Maura turned to look at Nicole. "Is she mad at you?" She found the ice pack and squeezed it to activate the reaction that lowered its temperature.

Nicole shrugged before she took the ice pack Maura was holding out to her. She put it against her eye and sighed. "Seems like it. Weird thing is that I have no freaking clue what I've done. I think she's going through some stuff though, and just lashed out at me for no apparent reason."

The doctor stood still in front of Nicole and looked at her for a moment. "Did something happen to her?" she asked carefully.

"I don't know. But something changed during the game in LA. She just… snapped. And she wouldn't talk to any of us. I know she hasn't been sleeping enough so I told her before practice today. Suggested that she'd ask you for help. I thought maybe you'd have some ideas."

Maura looked down at the floor, studying her shoes before she cleared her throat and moved to her desk. "I have learned a thing or two about Rizzoli while she's been here, and I know she doesn't like to ask for help. She seems to want to deal with things on her own. But I am sorry to hear about this." She stopped behind her desk and looked back at Nicole. "I do hope you will work things out."

"Yeah, me too" Nicole mumbled, slightly disappointed that the doctor didn't reveal anything. The use of Jane's last name was the only thing she noticed, but that could mean anything. "How long should I ice it?" she asked and pointed to her eye.

"For now, about ten minutes. You should however ice it a few more times during the day."

Nicole nodded. "Sure thing, doc."

Jane kept watching the bench area while Nicole was gone, anxious to see her return. Practice continued, but Jane couldn't focus at all. She had felt her elbow hitting something, and when she had turned around and seen the cut on Nicole's face, Jane had felt her heart sink to her stomach. In the back of her mind she knew it was simply an accident, and surely Nicole knew that, but it was still hard to face the fact that she had just physically hurt her friend. So when Nicole finally came back to the ice, Jane was quick to skate over to her. She saw the strips holding the cut together, and Nicole's eye had already started to swell. "Shit" Jane mumbled with a sad voice. "Did I do that?"

Nicole smiled. "Technically, yeah. I know it wasn't on purpose. And I'm fine. It happens." She tapped Jane's arm with the back of her glove.

"But still… I'm sorry. I didn't see you."

"It's okay. Really."

Jane sighed. As Nicole was about to move past her, she reached out and grabbed Nicole's arm. "Hey. Can we talk later?" she asked, voice low and hopeful.

Nicole took a moment to look at her before she nodded. "Sure… we can talk."

Jane entered the locker room when everyone was almost changed and ready to go home. Coach Landers had asked her to stay behind after practice, and Jane had known right away what it was all about. She had tried to brush off her bad performance in Los Angeles as a bad day, but wasn't sure she had been successful. Coach had said it was okay and then moved on to some details in her play that he wanted to discuss. So when Jane finally sat down on the bench in the locker room, Nicole was getting dressed.

"Want me to wait?" she asked as she sat down and looked across the room at Jane.

"Yeah, sure."

The room emptied as Jane changed and eventually, she and Nicole were the only ones left. Jane had a head full of questions about almost everything, but especially about Nicole's visit to the doctor. At the same time, she felt bad for the accidental hit and the yelling earlier in the morning. The blood on Nicole's face had been a wakeup call. If Jane was so angry and frustrated that she managed to physically hurt her friends, she needed to take a step back. Or forward. And that first step was clear.

"I know you're wondering what is wrong with me… and… I'm sorry for yelling at you before. I'm not really good at keeping my cool." Jane forced herself to keep eye contact with Nicole while she spoke, trying to show she really meant it.

Nicole got up and crossed the room. "It's okay, Jane. I know you're a firework of emotions sometimes" she smiled and sat down.

"Yeah" Jane scoffed but smiled. "And I really didn't mean to elbow you either." The look on Nicole's face told Jane that she didn't need to worry, Nicole knew that.

"Like I said, I'm fine. It's not like it's my first cut or black eye."

Jane simply nodded and looked at the few strips on the right cheekbone. "Looks like it was an easy fix for doc" she said carefully. The curiosity was too demanding, and Jane tried to steer their conversation to Maura. She needed to know what was said in that office.

Nicole smirked. "Yeah, didn't really require any advanced skills. Not that Doctor Isles isn't talented!"

"She's a great doctor…"

"I haven't exactly been running down her door so I wouldn't know, but I take your word for it."

"Have you even met her before today?" Jane knew she didn't sound as casual as she hoped for, but let it slide.

"Barely." Nicole leaned against the wall while looking at Jane. "I met her at the medical test when I signed. But not after that."

Jane nodded and desperately tried to think for the next thing to say to keep the direction. It wasn't like she could just ask what they had talked about. "Yeah… I think she left the day before you got called up so…" She reached for her water bottle and slowly twisted off the cap.

"Why did she really leave?" Nicole asked, and caused Jane to smile relieved for a brief moment. It was almost invisible.

"I'm not sure… One day she just wasn't here." Her heart was starting to beat louder, at least that's what it sounded like to Jane. "I guess she didn't say anything either?"

"Nah… not really."

Jane glanced at Nicole out of the corner of her eye, about to tell her to keep talking, but Nicole seemed to have read Jane's thoughts.

"She just said she had some personal stuff to take care of that happened during the break. I didn't wanna ask."

"No, of course not…" Jane paused, took a long and slow sip of her water before she put the cap back on. "Did you guys talk much? I mean… I spent the first few times in her office without us really talking at all. It was like a complete crash… And I couldn't understand why that fashionable chick in high heels wanted to work with a group of hockey players" Jane rambled on. "Like who wears high heels at a hockey rink?"

Nicole laughed and nodded. "I've thought the same, but I think she's actually easy to talk to. We talked a lot about me and how I've experienced the call up."

"Cool" Jane smiled but wanted to hit herself. She was so awful at this and why was Nicole answering her weird questions without as much as raising an eyebrow at her? Jane's head started racing again from the new information. If they had talked about Nicole's call up, maybe Maura had even asked about the chemistry with Jane? It was usually all over the papers after a game, so why not?

Silence settled between the two of them and Jane was staring down at the floor with the bottle still in her hands. She never saw the looks from Nicole.

"Okay, question…." Nicole interrupted the silence after a minute.

Jane kept staring at the floor, but turned to Nicole when no word was said.

"Is she single?"

Jane froze, her eyes focused on Nicole's and she didn't blink for a long time. "What?"

"Is she single?" Nicole repeated, with a smile this time.

"Are you serious?" Jane asked slightly shocked.

"Yeah. She's fucking hot!"

Jane shook her head and leaned back while she stared at the ceiling. "And you're too fucking young for her, so drop it."

Nicole smirked. "Come on, she can't be that old!"

"She's eleven years older than you!" Jane blurted out and turned back to Nicole. "She's not gonna be interested in a teenager. Trust me! You're too young."

"Fine…" Nicole pretended to give up and patiently waited until the look on Jane's face returned from what could only be described as painful. "So… What the hell went down between you two?"

The question made Jane quickly turn her head to Nicole again. "What? Who says anything went down?!"

Nicole laughed shortly. "Seriously? Come on! I'm not blind. You completely lost it in LA, and you're in that same zombie mode today. Something tells me she was at the game. And now you basically interrogate me about what she and I talked about while she fixed me up? I don't need anyone to tell me that there is a story between you two."

Jane returned her stare to the floor and bit her bottom lip. "I didn't interrogate you…" she mumbled. She knew it was a dead giveaway, but was too exhausted to care.

"Sure felt like it… So what's the story?" Nicole pushed on.

It took a few silent moments and some uncomfortable shifting before Jane sighed. "There is no story."

Nicole rolled her eyes. "Fine. Then what _was_ the story? What happened between you two?"

"You know what? You really fit in on this team, cause you're a freaking daredevil!" She didn't mean to sound angry, but it still came out pretty harsh. She looked at Nicole to see if she had scared her, but no. Nicole sat there, looking at her and waiting for the story. Jane sighed. She couldn't handle anymore emotions, she didn't want to either. The mental stress was driving her crazy and just the thought of trying to deny everything seemed overwhelming. "We… we kinda got close a few times. And it got to the point where it was more than just… physical for me. Then I found out she was engaged, we fought, she left and now she's back. End of story."

"Oh…" Nicole said slowly. "Now things completely make sense! That's why you looked so sad when I first met you. But you said she _was_ engaged, is she still engaged?"

The laughter bubbling from Jane's mouth surprised them both. Jane shook her head in frustration. "You're pushing my limits right now!" she halfheartedly warned. "But no, I don't think she is. Last thing I heard was that they split when he found out about me…"

"Dude!" Nicole reached over and slapped Jane's knee. "He found out?! How?"

"Not important" Jane rushed out, not ready to let Nicole know about the embarrassing night.

"But if you like her…" Nicole carefully tested the word. "Why aren't you over there making up with her?"

Nicole's youth and naivety was usually a breath of fresh air, despite Jane still being young in some terms, but when it came to Maura, Jane felt Nicole wouldn't understand things. "I really don't wanna discuss this right now, it's… complicated."

"Hey… I'm 18. Complicated is my everyday life! I totally understand complicated" Nicole smiled. "And don't make it sound like you're so fucking grown up."

Jane laughed again and took a deep breath. "It's just… we had a big argument right before she left, and I guess I'm still angry about some stuff we both said. And I was not mentally prepared for her to show up out of nowhere in LA."

"No kidding…" Nicole mumbled before she cleared her throat, like an attempt to hide the comment. "Hey, can I ask some questions…? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I'm curious, and I've only found random pieces of this puzzle so far."

"Sure, go ahead" Jane replied.

"Did you sleep with her?"

Jane shook her head. "It didn't get that far." She placed the bottle between her feet on the floor and looked at it.

"So you just fooled around?"

A simple nod.

Nicole pulled her knee up on the bench and turned to face Jane. "So she obviously likes you. And you know she's single, she's back and she's not giving you angry looks. Why aren't you over there talking with her? Make up for whatever went down."

Jane stood up and started pacing around in the middle of the room. "You don't know her at all, you don't even know the details of what happened. Hell, you've barely seen me and her in the same room, what makes you think she even wants to be alone in the same room as me?"

"Well, I obviously can't read people's minds, but why would she _not_ want to make up with you?"

"He found out because of me." Jane stopped and crossed her arms over her chest. "I was going completely crazy on New Year's eve. The team had a party and she was there in the beginning. We started making out, got caught and afterwards she disappeared. I went home to her. He was there and figured it out from my reaction when he popped up out of freaking nowhere to stand by her side and just rub it in my face!" The words rolled off her tongue like pearls on a string. She had no way of stopping them. "She blamed me for him leaving. And I totally get it! She doesn't want me. End of story."

"Has she told you that she doesn't want you? Cause from what I've seen, you guys haven't spoken a word to each other yet. So why are you so sure she doesn't want you?"

Jane shook her head while laughing sarcastically. "Oh, I'm sure. She took out emergency leave because of me. She left, and obviously even left the state to get away. She flew to the other side of the country! That tells me something…"

Nicole grinned while she stood up and walked over to Jane. "You're a moron, you know that?" The look on Jane's face made her laugh. "Jane… she's the doctor, she knows our schedule. She _had_ to know we would be in LA that day. If she absolutely doesn't want anything to do with you, then why did she show up at the game? Why did she watch our practice today if she can't stand your face? You're not seeing things clearly right now."

"She's professional" Jane tried to argue, but knew it was a weak point. Maura _did_ know their schedule, and the longer Jane thought about what Nicole had said, the more sense it made in her mind. Maura hadn't showed up at the game to chat with coach Landers. No coach, no matter what sport, would schedule a meeting at a game. The two of them in the hall between two periods had to be coincidental.

"You're not convincing me, Rizzoli. You're just scared. Which doesn't sound like you at all!"

Jane avoided eye contact and shifted in her spot. She hated being called scared.

"Okay, answer me this then" Nicole continued when Jane made no sign to speak. "You say she blamed you for her relationship crashing, and you understand her. Why? Why are you to blame for something you both did?"

"Because I was drunk, crazy, confused, frustrated, you name it, when I decided to show up at her door! I had no right going to her home and pour my heart out…"

"But… okay…" Nicole knitted her eyebrows and seemed to be thinking. "How long did you two fool around? Until you found out about this dude."

Jane tried to think back, find something that could give her an idea of the time period. "I'm not sure…. Three weeks maybe…"

"Three weeks…. Why didn't she tell you about him for three weeks while you were fooling around?" Nicole sounded almost frustrated.

Why was an 18-year-old girl asking questions that Jane should've asked herself, and Maura, already? Why didn't Maura tell Jane about whatever his name was? She had without hesitation said she wasn't married, but casually mention that she was engaged was too difficult? Jane ran her hands over her face and sighed. "I don't know, okay? You gotta ask her that."

Nicole slapped Jane's upper arm, not too hard but still firm enough to receive a glare. "No, stupid!" she chuckled. " _YOU_ need to ask her that. _You_ need to grow a pair and face her and talk. Ask her what the hell happens now. And if you could start over again. Now that this stupid guy is out of the picture."

Jane stared at Nicole for a moment before she turned around and walked over to the bench to sit down. "Why are you pushing me? You've known me for three weeks!" Jane laughed shortly and shook her head. "So why am I telling you shit that I have barely told my best friend for almost ten years? This is not making sense…"

"I'll take that as a compliment" Nicole smiled. "But come on, if you are this upset over her leaving, or coming back or whatever, there has to be some sort of feelings. And if you were starting to fall for h-"

"No! Don't say that… please" Jane interrupted her. "I hate those words."

Nicole started to grin. "Badass Jane Rizzoli can't face the fact that she's falling for someone, huh?"

Jane looked up and tilted her head, trying to give her best sarcastic look. "You're approaching thin ice, missy" she warned.

"Yeah! I know." Nicole sat down next to Jane and looked at her. "But I'm trying to find that fearless, sarcastic and tough badass I know is inside of you. So what if you have a soft side? Who wouldn't go soft for a woman like her? I just want you to see that you two should talk. Find out if she's over this thing you guys had, or if she wants to give it another shot. You don't know until you ask. And I honestly don't want you to go around moping because she is here. Besides, ending anything with a fight isn't really the best choice."

Jane's head fell back against the wall while she closed her eyes. She already knew Heather and Danielle would tell her to clear things up with Maura, but now Nicole too? Her head was starting to hurt and she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I seriously need some time to think about all this. I'm too exhausted right now…"

"It's okay. I know you're tired" Nicole said and patted Jane's knee. "Go home and get some rest. There's a new day tomorrow" she winked.

Jane slowly opened her eyes and lifted her head. She knew what that last remark meant, and she started laughing. "Screw you…."

Nicole laughed as well before a silence slowly settled between them. She looked at Jane before she leaned on her knees. "Hey… when I asked if she was single… I didn't mean that I was gonna hit on her, I hope you know that" she explained.

Jane nodded. "I was hoping you were just messing with me, yeah."

"Good…" Nicole slowly nodded before she stood up. "I'm glad." She put her hands in her pockets and bit her bottom lip, like she was trying to fight off a smirk. "Although she is actually pretty damn hot…" She had to react fast to avoid the foot that was aiming for her shin, and she started laughing again.


	19. Chapter 19

Sleeping on it didn't help Jane at all and she woke up the next day still feeling emotionally drained. Nicole's words were spinning in her head all morning, and Jane was slowly starting to agree with some of the observations her friend had made. On her way over to the rink, Jane knew she probably would be face to face with the doctor soon, but she was still not sure about what she wanted to say. Or even do.

She barely managed to stop to avoid crashing into the other person coming around the corner. Jane mumbled a 'sorry' before she looked up and stared right into hazel eyes. Her throat closed up and for a few seconds, she forgot to breathe. They both stopped and stood still at the corner, looking at each other. Maura had been back for more than 30 hours, and it was just now that Jane found herself alone with the doctor. The hallway was empty and she wasn't even sure if she liked it or not.

"Hi" Maura said after a long silence. Such a simple word and it still seemed loaded with tension.

Jane swallowed and let out a slow breath. "Hey…"

"How have you been?" Maura took a short step back to be able to look at Jane without craning her neck too much.

"Uhm… fine. I guess" Jane stuttered. She watched Maura move back and instantly started to analyze the situation. Despite plenty of time, she had never found an answer to what she wanted to say or do when this moment eventually came. She knew she would face Maura again, alone. The conversation with Nicole was still spinning around in her head, and Jane took in a deep breath before she exhaled. "Can we talk?"

Maura blinked a few times, seemingly surprised, before she nodded. "Yes, of course. Do you want to go to my office?"

Jane nodded shortly before she took charge and headed towards the office. She almost barged in through the door, trying to be confident, and sat down in one of the chairs. The click of Maura's heels was the only sound in the room as she walked over to her desk. She was about to sit down in her chair, but changed her mind and leaned against the wall behind her desk. Jane watched the doctor briefly fiddling with the sleeve of her shirt before folding her hands in front of her. "I…" Jane trailed off as she looked up and met Maura's eyes.

Maura was patient, like she was giving Jane time to gather her words.

"I didn't really know how to deal with you showing up in LA like that… It totally threw me off guard."

"I understand, Jane. Perhaps I should have considered your reaction before I came to the rink."

Jane looked down at her hands. "Then why did you just show up like that?"

"It seemed convenient at the time. I needed to talk to coach Landers, and he was there in the same city as me."

The question of why Maura was in LA to begin with was burning on the tip of Jane's tongue, but she fought to stay on track, and be rational. She had no reason to ask, and she was afraid she would blurt out all the things that had gone through her mind since the fight at the doorstep of Maura's house if she didn't take one step at a time. Another silence settled between them before Jane opened her mouth to speak. "Are you… did he really leave you?"

Maura quickly looked away when Jane made eye contact and sighed softly. It took a few moments for her answer to fall from her lips. "Yes, he did…"

Jane knew she should apologize, that her next words should be a sort of admission that she knew what she had done. But as she sat there staring at Maura, she wasn't ready at all to officially confirm that she was to blame for Ryan finding out.

Maura eyed the chair next to her but still didn't make a move to sit down. Instead she slowly breathed in. "Jane, are you mad at me?"

"What? No" Jane blurted out and looked up. She saw a look in Maura's eyes that could only be described as challenging, like she knew Jane wasn't being completely honest. "Okay, maybe I'm a bit mad…"

"Why?"

"Because you just left." Jane leaned back in the chair and rested her elbows on the armrests. "You yelled at me, blamed me for everything and just took off. Then you show up out of nowhere in LA! Yes, I was pissed to be honest! You had no right showing up like that, on the other side of the country. I thought I at least wouldn't have to worry about seeing you in freaking California…"

"I know." Maura surrendered and finally sat down in her chair. "I should have known it was wrong of me to surprise you like that. It wasn't easy to come back for me either. I had a feeling you were mad at me."

"So why _did_ you leave?"

"I needed time away from everything. I needed the time and space to figure out if my relationship was worth fighting for."

Jane completely ignored the calmness in Maura's voice. She locked eyes with the doctor across the desk, and once again she was burning from the words on her tongue. "Was it?"

Maura stared back at Jane before she slowly shook her head. "No, it wasn't. I learned a few things and I couldn't see how it was supposed to last even before… you…" Her eyes found something interesting on the desk and focused intensely on it.

Jane could clearly feel the awkwardness surround them both and she wasn't sure how to handle the confession. She only knew she had to do something and got up. With her fists closed she started to slowly walk around in the small room. Just a few simple words like that, and Jane knew she wasn't ready to start digging in what she had tried to convince herself was the past. Judging by the nervous fidgeting, Maura wasn't ready either. Jane hid a sigh while she ran a hand through her hair. She had no idea how to move on.

"Jane" Maura said softly and stood up before she smoothed her skirt. "Do you think we can go back to working together? Without it being too uncomfortable?"

Jane spun around to face the doctor, her mouth open. Just a few seconds ago, she had been fed a glimmer of hope and now it all crashed. She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "Yeah, sure…" she mumbled and looked away.

"It's just that I need to keep my personal life away from work right now."

Another punch in the gut. "I get it" Jane replied without too much interest. She looked back at Maura before she turned around towards the door. "I'll leave my personal life at the door. At home I mean. Not this…" She sighed and tore her eyes from the door that was currently her exit out of hell.

Maura smiled carefully and folded her hands in front of her.

"Don't worry, doc, I'll be out of your hair." Jane knew it was a flat out lie; there was no way she would be able to just sweep everything under the carpet and pretend like nothing had ever happened. But she couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Thank you, Jane" Maura said with a small sigh as Jane headed for the door.

"Don't mention it…" Jane stopped and turned to look at Maura before she faked a smile. "I better get going. I'll see you around I guess."

As Maura smiled, Jane opened the door and took a few quick steps to get out of the office before she exhaled deeply.

* * *

Jane was in the middle of making dinner later that day when her phone rang. Danielle's photo covered the screen, and Jane swiped to accept the call. "Hey, what's up?"

"Areyouhome?" The question was basically crumbled into one word.

"Yeah… why? You sound stressed."

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

The call ended before Jane had the chance to say a word, and she chuckled while she put down her phone. Danielle had never been good at stress, and it was usually very funny to watch.

It took almost twenty minutes before Danielle barged in. Jane was finished eating and was sitting on the couch with her feet on the table. "Please, come in" she teased.

"Shut up, Rizzoli" Danielle said with a smile playing on her lips. "You have _no_ idea who I ran into at the seminar today." She shook off her jacket and kicked off her shoes before she stopped in the middle of the room and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Okay… I believe you. I don't know."

"Take a guess, a wild, wild guess. Just to play along."

Jane raised an eyebrow at the bait. A warning bell rang in the back of her head, and the doctor's face danced before her eyes. Jane hadn't told Danielle about Maura's return yet, and even if Danielle was busy with school at the moment, Jane knew she would be yelled at when the truth finally came out. "I don't know… Just tell me." She tried to act cool.

"Nah, that's no fun" Danielle smirked and sank down on the couch next to Jane. "Oh, by the way, how is Maura these days?"

Jane sighed and leaned her head back against the couch.

"Yeah" Danielle said slowly and nodded. "When were you gonna tell me that she is back?!" She carefully punched Jane on the arm. "Can you imagine my surprise when she fucking shows up at the seminar? Of course, this totally explains why I haven't heard from you the last two days. So come on, spill! Before I beat it out of you!"

"Okay." Jane took her feet down from the table and straightened. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner-"

"Yeah, cut the crap. Just tell me what's happened."

Jane let out a short laugh and shook her head. "Okay fine. She was officially back at work yesterday."

"And you didn't know she was coming back?"

"No. Or… well, kinda." A pair of big eyes stared at her. "She showed up out of nowhere at the game in LA on Saturday. I had no idea!"

Danielle put her feet up on the cushions and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Okay, from the top, please. And don't leave out any details!"

Jane followed orders and told Danielle everything that had happened since the frozen moment in LA, including Nicole's pep talk. She knew Danielle would have a lot to say about certain things, so when she finished the story, she leaned back and waited for her friend to talk.

"Okay… that was a lot. But Jane, you lied to her. There's no fucking way you'll be able to leave your heart and emotions at home."

"I know" Jane muttered.

"But I won't be surprised if she already knows this. I think she's gotten to know you well enough by now. And hey, at least she wasn't angry. It could've been worse, right?"

"I guess."

"So you gotta play it cool for a while, you can do that." Danielle suddenly got up and headed for the kitchen while she spoke. "Did you talk about this former fiancé of hers?"

Jane shook her head, but realized after a short silence that Danielle didn't see her. "No, we didn't." She turned around to watch Danielle snooping around in her cabinets. "What the hell are you looking for?"

Danielle stopped her search and looked back at Jane. "Anything that is considered snacks for us mortal people. Why didn't you talk about him? Aren't you curious about what happened between them?"

"Yeah, but… I guess I wasn't ready to talk about all the shit that went down. And then she shot me down again." Jane turned back around and sighed.

"Why was she even in LA that day?" Danielle returned with a bag of chips she opened like it was her own, and sat back down.

"I don't know."

"You didn't ask her?"

"No" Jane shook her head. "And I don't know why I didn't ask."

Danielle smiled from how Jane answered the question Danielle hadn't asked yet. "So are you just going to act like normal again, whatever that means, and just forget anything ever happened?"

Jane shrugged and sighed. "That's what she wants so…"

Danielle laughed and shook her head. "I give you two weeks. Tops! Unless you get your shit together and actually talk to her, like seriously talk, about everything."

"Yeah, thanks for having my back" Jane spat out with as much sarcasm she could find. Danielle continued to laugh, and Jane knew they could sit there for hours talking about that specific subject. And most likely would.

* * *

 ** _Three Straight_**

 _It seems like the Devils have found their game on home ice now after beating Washington 4-2, making it three straight wins here in Boston. The fearless duo (Rizzoli/Taylor) fought back after the two awful games on the road, and provided good offence and a couple of goals. It's just their fifth game playing together, but if they can continue to play with the chemistry they have, it could only be an injury that can separate them now. Rizzoli, with 10 points in her last 6 games, is leading the team in goals (16) after 29 of 52 games. Taylor is not doing so bad either, with 5 points in her 7 games and being a huge part of Rizzoli's goals in almost every game._

 _After just over half of the season is done, Boston is currently in a comfortable 9_ _th_ _position in the standings, something coach Landers likes._

 _"_ _We are still rebuilding this team so being number 9 right now is something we're happy about. Our wins have been solid lately and that is something we have to keep going, not losing games with just one goal. And with just one major injury so far [Perry] we've been lucky."_

 _The Devils are going out on a road trip now against three strong teams, including last year's cup winner, Texas._

* * *

 ** _AN:_** No, they are not done talking. Don't worry. I'm actually afraid of posting the chapter where they really talk. I'm assuming half of you will think it's not good enough, not believable, anything. I've said it before; if you think the story/plot/characters are crap, no one is forcing you to keep reading. Just stop, find a new story and forget about this one.

To those that complain about the amount of hockey: what can I say? It's a hockey story!


	20. Chapter 20

**AN:** luckypenguinbuddy and out643: you two were spot on about the talk. You'll see soon :)

Thank you for still keeping up!

* * *

Jane struggled the rest of the week. Having Maura back was not how Jane had thought it would be like and whenever she saw the doctor, she was reminded of everything. Leaving all personal issues at home wasn't Jane's style, but she had agreed to do it and even if she herself knew she couldn't do it, she wasn't gonna let it show. So whenever Maura was in the same room as her, Jane did her best to keep her eyes on something else. She never let her eyes linger on the doctor, no stolen glances, no matter how much she wanted to. It worked well the first three-four days, but for each day, new questions occupied Jane's thoughts and it slowly drove her mad. She still had so much to ask Maura, so much to get an explanation to and on day five she realized her 'subtle staring' had returned.

They had just arrived in New Orleans and Jane had been keeping an eye on Maura the whole flight. She tracked Maura all the way from the gate to baggage claim and took the opportunity that presented itself there. Maura always found the least crowded place by the conveyor belt and this time Jane walked over to her and stopped right beside her. Maura simply gave her a look and a small smile.

"Why were you really in LA?" Jane asked low while she watched the suitcases and bags go by.

Maura was silent and searched for her suitcase with no luck.

"You knew we had a game there, you know our schedule" Jane continued.

"I didn't leave because of you, Jane. If that's what you were thinking." Maura tugged softly at her jacket and sighed. "I needed to distance myself for a while."

"And no better way to distance yourself than on the other side of the country" Jane mumbled. She put her hands in her pocket and studied a bright yellow suitcase covered in cartoons. She shook her head.

"My relationship had just ended. A good friend of mine lives in California, I thought it was a good idea with a change of scenery."

Jane was torn between being a good sport about it all, and make some sort of comment about the sexy boots and the leather jacket from the first trip to LA almost two months ago. It was a mental picture that was still clear as day in Jane's mind, and she was still curious about who that lucky friend was that had met Maura for dinner that night.

"I thought we agreed to not let this affect our work?" Maura asked. She leaned a bit forward and spotted her suitcase further down on the belt.

"I still have questions" Jane replied and shrugged. She never saw the doctor's suitcase approaching. "Like why you never told me about him…"

Maura grabbed her suitcase and swung it off the belt. She reached for the handle and extended it before she looked at Jane. "I am not going through this here, Jane" she warned. And with the click of her heels, she disappeared from Jane's side.

Jane silently groaned and closed her eyes. This wasn't going to be easy at all.

The bus that was taking them to their hotel was waiting outside the airport and Jane boarded and found a place by the windows where she could casually watch Maura who was standing outside with some of the training staff. Because of her position, Maura couldn't see Jane, and Jane sunk down in the seat and rested her head against the glass. It had been 32 days since their last kiss and first fight and Jane was starting to feel it. She knew she was falling for Maura, no matter the circumstances, but she would never say it out loud, not even to herself. She just couldn't ignore the fact that she missed it all. The sideways glances, the smiles and the lips… she wanted all that and it frustrated her so much now that she knew Maura was single, available, free to do whatever she wanted.

Jane almost jumped in her seat when someone threw themselves in the seat next to her.

"Thanks for waiting…" Nicole sighed and looked at Jane.

"Sorry" Jane smiled. "My mind was in a totally different place."

Nicole smiled and turned her attention to the small group of people outside the window. "In the gutter I guess…"

Jane did a quick eye roll but couldn't help the chuckle. "I understand your reasons for thinking that, but no." She sighed and looked out the window again. "Not the gutter this time…"

Nicole leaned back in her seat and grinned. "'I understand your reasons…' dude, you even sound like her now." She only got a silent glare back. "Okay, so… what's on your mind now?"

"Just too many questions with no answers. Why she didn't tell me, why she was in LA, if she still…" Jane trailed off and leaned her head back, staring up at nothing.

"Is that what you're the most curious about, if she still wants you?" Nicole made sure to keep her voice low even though the bus was rather empty. She barely saw the short nod from Jane. "So maybe you should ask her. Better to find out, right? No matter what she says."

"But I don't do this kind of stuff. I don't ask someone if they like me or whatever. I… take action instead."

"I totally understand you. But perhaps this is a situation that calls for a different approach? She already knows you want her. The grown up road might be a good choice."

"Are you saying I'm childish? Cause I can pull out the age card again."

Nicole laughed and shook her head. "No… no need for that." She noticed movements outside the bus and saw several of their team mates get in. Jane saw the same and they shared a look. Nicole knew what it meant and she nodded. "But just be honest, try it. It can't hurt."

Jane pretended like she didn't hear it and forced her eyes back to the world outside.

* * *

Jane felt pretty good about herself as she stood outside the locker room and watched as the media hovered around Nicole. So she hadn't scored that night, but Jane felt good about her effort anyway. And with Nicole's two goals, the media wasn't that interested in Jane. She rolled up the sleeves on her jersey while she listened to Nicole fighting off the reporters.

"We've been better at going to the net and it pays off. It's pretty logical really. If we can take away the goalie's view, we have a better chance at getting that shot through."

"This was game number 8 for you with the Devils, what have you done since you were called up to make sure you'd stay on the team?"

Jane chuckled at the question and she could even see Nicole do an internal eye roll. It was such a silly question, and they had made fun of it so many times.

"I haven't done anything different really. I just work hard every day and do my best all the time, no matter where I play."

Nicole spotted Jane and gave her an almost invisible smirk. Jane saw it of course and thought it was because of the question until she felt the presence of another person next to her. She turned her head but quickly looked away when she saw the blonde waves near her shoulder.

"What about games on the road, how do you deal with the mental challenges?"

"I try to make the little things mean more. It is weird to put on that white jersey cause you know you're not home. The fans won't cheer when you enter the ice and there's no horn or goal song when you score. So I try to enjoy that collective sigh that goes through the crowd when we score. It makes our celebration so much louder and more powerful. You know you've put some doubt in the other team and that is tough."

Jane completely spaced out as she felt Maura move slightly and their arms brushed for just a split second.

"It is interesting to see how grown up she appears when she is being interviewed" Maura commented. "It's like she's turning into someone else."

"Yeah" Jane mumbled and turned to Maura. She noticed the hands in the pockets, thumbs lazily hanging on the outside and Jane knew it was an image that would stay with her for a long time. Their eyes locked as Maura turned and smiled at her, but Jane tore her eyes away after a second. Even when she was towering over the doctor, Jane didn't feel confident or strong. Instead she felt like a simple blow of air from Maura could knock her down, and she would fall to the ground with a total lack of elegance or finesse. In a split second Jane wondered if that was love was really all about; feeling like you're way above the ground, and a simple breath could take you down.

* * *

Jane  
 _Hey… are you busy? I could use your help and expertise right now…_

Danielle  
 _No, not busy. What's up?_

Jane  
 _I… need help. To stop me from going crazy. And probably do something I really, really shouldn't do._

Danielle  
 _Then how can I help?_

Jane  
 _By being your obnoxious and always so damn reasonable self. No offence!_

Danielle  
 _Lol! None taken! Those words are pretty much a compliment coming from you anyways. Is this about who I think it is?_

Jane  
 _Yeah… the hot ass doctor that keeps following me around the country. Well, kinda…_

Danielle  
 _You're struggling with the whole "being professional" thing._

Jane  
 _Yup! I can't stop thinking about all these things I want to say to her. And all the questions. It's driving me so close to the edge now. And it's much better to cave on facebook than face to face…_

Danielle  
 _Of course… So you haven't talked yet?_

Jane  
 _No… She told me to leave all that behind, and I'm seriously trying. But… you know me…_

Danielle  
 _Yeah I do. So you're probably gonna burst out into a series of angry and bitter speeches about this and that unless I can convince you to deal with it another way._

Jane  
 _See? This is why I always come to you for advice!_

Danielle  
 _Always? Try once in a blue moon…_

Jane  
 _Usually…_

Danielle  
 _When I force you…_

Jane  
 _Fine. So what's your solution now?_

Danielle  
 _Well, you could simply ask her if you two can talk. And take it from there. Say you're trying to leave your feelings at home but it's kinda difficult with her around all the time. And there are some questions that keep bothering you._

Jane  
 _I'm gonna sound like a stupid fool in love…_

Danielle  
 _You're not a fool. The rest is kinda fitting though._

Jane  
 _Just so you know, I'm counting to ten and trying REALLY hard not to punch something with your name or face on it right now. And since I'm in a hotel room with nothing but my phone, I really don't want to do that!_

Danielle  
 _Lol! I figured. But seriously… you know I'm right._

Jane  
 _Maybe… So I should just ask her about everything?_

Danielle  
 _Yes. But you have to honest with her, and NOT get angry or anything based on her answers. Be an adult about it, show her you can handle this the right way. She might not tell you what you want to hear, be prepared for that._

Jane  
 _Okay…_


	21. Chapter 21

The road trip continued to Texas where they completely stumbled on the ice and lost to a better team. After the game, many of the players and staff gathered for dinner at the hotel, and Jane was practically forced by Heather. Nicole couldn't escape either. It wasn't that Jane didn't like these dinners, she usually did, but after playing a horrible game and losing, she didn't feel like being social. The fact that Maura was there as well, made it both better and worse. At least Jane could rest her eyes on the doctor once in a while, but at the same time she couldn't stop her mind from opening the box of questions.

She used the loss for whatever it was worth, and stayed silent through the dinner. She knew no one would find it suspicious. Her chat with Danielle the night before had almost pushed her to a decision, almost. It was still terrifying to think of the possible outcomes if she confronted Maura with everything, but she also knew she couldn't keep sweeping things under the carpet for much longer. They still had a lot of games left in the season, which meant a lot of days where she would be around Maura, and the chance of getting injured was still there for every single game. If there was one thing worse than her current state, it would be an injury requiring follow ups in Maura's office, in the gym, heck, even in the pool!

Jane shook her head and sighed while she reached for her glass. _'Please God, don't let me end up needing rehab in the pool.'_ She slowly sipped on her water while her eyes trailed across the table only to be met by hazel ones. Jane reached three Mississippi's before the doctor looked away and tried to focus on a conversation next to her.

That was it. Jane set down her glass and quickly excused herself before getting up. She almost threw her napkin on the seat of her chair and walked out of the restaurant. She needed air. They weren't supposed to steal glances like that anymore, they were supposed to be professionals, leave everything else behind. Jane covered her face in her hands and took a deep breath before she let her fingers run through her hair. Could she really do this? Could she face Maura and ask her all those burning questions and still keep her cool?

People were scattered when Jane returned to the restaurant ten minutes later, some had left and some had relocated to the bar, including the doctor. Jane stood still and watched Maura, patiently waiting for eye contact. When it came, she walked over to the bar with unsteady feet and stopped next to her. "Hi… do you have a minute? Or five…?"

Maura studied Jane's face in search for a clue before she cocked her head. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Jane rushed before she looked around. "I was just wondering if we could… talk."

"Oh." Maura seemed to find the clue and smiled. "Of course." She got up from her chair and took a final sip of her wine. "Do you want to take a walk?"

Jane sighed and nodded relieved. "Yeah… thanks."

They walked in silence out of the restaurant and through the lobby of their hotel. The air outside was still warm from a day's worth of sun, and Jane let Maura choose their direction.

"What is on your mind?" Maura asked as they reached the corner of the block and crossed the road.

Jane took her time, carefully going over the words in her head first. "I was hoping we could clear some things up… As you probably know by now, I'm not really good at keeping my emotions in place, and…" Despite preparing herself, Jane trailed off. She shoved her hands in her pockets and stared down at the ground.

Maura didn't seem neither surprised nor frustrated by the mention of their past. Instead she looked at Jane and softly smiled. "We can do that. Anything specific in mind?"

Once again Jane took her time. She went through the questions she had, like a list, stopping at one that seemed the least frightening. "Are you doing okay now? I mean... did that change of scenery help?"

"It did. It felt good to leave the snow and cold behind. I believe I spent the first few days on the beach. Defrosting myself."

Jane smiled and was surprised by the light tone in Maura's voice.

"Of course it wasn't really warm enough for sunbathing, but it was better than Boston. I could get used to the sun and the warm weather in the west."

Jane's thoughts went straight back to the day she and Nicole spent sightseeing in LA, where she had complained more than once about the sun.

Maura cleared her throat. "I appreciate you asking, Jane. It was nice of you."

They walked on in silence while Jane tried to get the next question to slip from her lip. They approached a small park with a few benches and Maura gestured to one of them like a question. Jane just nodded and let Maura guide her once again. "I… realized a while back that… you never wore a ring." They sat down, a comfortable space between them. "At least I can't remember you wearing one."

"I didn't" Maura answered easily. "It was impractical considering my job. I tried in the beginning, but I had to take it off several times a day as it got stuck in the gloves. And after I misplaced it the third day, he agreed that it was best to leave it at home…"

Jane softly chuckled. "Yeah, maybe that was for the best. At least for his wallet…" She caused a smile on Maura's lips, and for a second it didn't feel weird that they were joking about it. For just a short second, it felt like they were just two normal people. But as soon as the second passed, Jane became nervous again. The silence was uncomfortable, and she knew she was the one who wanted this talk. It was her job to actually talk. "I'm really sorry for showing up that night and ruining everything…" She looked down at her hands and started plucking on a fingernail. "I had no right."

Maura moved so she faced Jane. "Jane, I know I said a lot of mean things before I left. But you didn't ruin my relationship with Ryan. I know I said so, but it was not true. You simply brought some things into the light for me."

"How?" Jane asked confused and looked at Maura.

"For over a year, I asked him to go with me to all the events regarding the team. The dinners, the barbeque parties. But he refused. He said he would feel out of place, that he would have nothing in common with a bunch of young girls playing hockey. And in some ways, it made sense. He hates sports. Well, except golf."

"Golf isn't a sport" Jane scoffed before she managed to stop herself. "Sorry" she whispered.

Maura simply smiled. "I didn't really give it much thought until I got to know you and you told me about your friend. You said you could always talk to her about hockey, she would always understand and she would never get bored."

Jane barely remembered the casual conversation she and Maura had had one day on a road trip.

"Ryan never understood when I told him about my day. He never cared about my job or the people I worked with. He didn't understand why I had to travel with the team all the time." Maura stopped to take a deep breath. "I didn't realize the effects it had on our relationship and our possible future. I can't plan my future with someone who doesn't care about a big part of my life. And unfortunately, I didn't see that until… you got caught in the middle." She looked away and focused on the people walking by across the street.

It took a few moments before Jane managed to gather her thoughts. "But why didn't you tell me about him?"

Maura slowly shook her head. "I'm not sure. Maybe it was a defense mechanism, maybe I was trying to protect us both. We work together, I'm your doctor, we shouldn't have let ourselves get carried away like that. I didn't think it would turn out the way it did either. I've even asked myself if I was subconsciously trying to destroy my relationship. I still don't know. I just never thought I was capable of… cheating on someone."

"I would've stayed away if I knew…"

"I know" Maura almost whispered. "I should have told you, and I apologize for that. It wasn't fair to you. You didn't know and I don't blame you for what you did."

Jane met Maura's eyes before she smiled softly. "It's okay." They both turned their attention to some birds looking for food not too far away. "We really made a mess out of that…"

Maura nodded and leaned back. "I must admit I am in some way glad it did happen. I am not so sure I would have seen my relationship for what it was if you hadn't come barging into my life…" She tried to soften the comment with a smile.

"Well then…" Jane had to clear her throat to hide the nervousness. "Glad I could help…" She didn't really mean it, at least not like that, but Maura couldn't possible have said what Jane thought she had said?

"Does this mean you are no longer mad at me?"

Jane had to laugh at how Maura's question was layered in hope. She turned to Maura only to find a pair of equally hopeful eyes. "Yeah, I guess so." Their eyes locked and for several seconds, Jane struggled to look away. She still had one very important question that was burning on the tip of her tongue, but she knew she wasn't ready to ask yet. One of the two possible answers was too scary.

"Good. And just so you are aware, I am not mad at you. I'm glad we got to clear the air between us."

"How do you do it?" Jane blurted out and got a confused look back. "I mean…" She took a deep breath. "Don't take this the wrong way, but this seems so easy for you. I've been dreading this for days now, and you just…" She couldn't even find the right word and shrugged.

Maura smiled and lifted her arm. She was about to move her hand to Jane's arm when she changed her mind. "I'm used to talking about my feelings."

Jane studied the face next to her and thought she could see a slight grin. "Did you just make fun of me?" she asked and pretended to be offended.

Maura broke out into a huge smile. "Perhaps."

"Oh my god" Jane laughed. "Okay… fine… You're probably right."

"But joking aside." Maura breathed out to follow her own words. "I was ready to talk about this. I just wasn't sure if you were. After all, I was the one who asked you to not talk about…"

Jane sensed what word was about to follow, and judging from the sudden halt in Maura's otherwise flowing speech, she knew she was right. The light, teasing mood was gone in the blink of an eye. They had just approached the topic of 'feelings' and it was the final question on Jane's list. A topic she was not at all ready to explore. Even though she was aching to know if Maura still felt something, she was too scared to find out. No matter what Maura would say, it would mean the beginning of something new. Either a major change or a disappointing return to normal life, whatever that was, and Jane knew she wouldn't be able to handle that as well. Not now, not today, and probably not for a while. "I am glad we talked… but is it okay if we head back now? I'm kinda beat after the game…"

Maura nodded and slowly got up. "Of course. I imagine you need some rest."

Jane got up as well and they started the short walk back to their hotel in silence. At least they hadn't wandered too far.

"I'm glad you asked to talk, Jane" Maura said as they were entering the hotel and set course for the elevators.

Jane could only nod.

"Now go get some rest so you're ready for the flight tomorrow." Maura finally found the courage to put her hand on Jane's arm when they stopped in front of the elevators, if only for a moment.

"I will" Jane said softly and her head instantly made a mental note of the touch; where and how long. It was a habit she couldn't control any more. She pushed the up button a few times, imagining the elevator would arrive sooner.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

As the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Maura smiled and turned around, heading for the restaurant. Jane watched her leave and wished she could've joined the doctor. Just to keep her company for a while.

* * *

It was the night before their game against San Diego, and after a long week, the coaching staff had arranged for a bonfire at the beach. They were all seated in a big circle, and as the darkness fell around them, stories began to surface. Coach Landers started it all with a story from his active days, and it continued around the fire. Many of them had heard most of the stories before except for Jane and Nicole who were both pretty new on the team. After a series of stories and a lot of laughter, coach Landers stood up and cleared his throat.

"I just wanted to say a few things. Despite ups and downs, you've been really doing a great job on the ice lately. Especially home in Boston. And since we're out here in the west, I thought I'd tell you a story that happened right here in San Diego. Most of you know I used to play with Denver's coach when I was young, and he had one special story for me the last time I talked with him, about someone who used to play for Denver but is now somewhere on the east coast..."

Jane sighed when coach Landers looked at her and smiled. She knew what was coming. She knew what game he was referring to, she remembered that game like it was yesterday. As she looked up, she saw several of the girls looking at her, including Maura who seemed really excited about whatever coach Landers was about to tell them. Of course they all knew it was about her, she was pretty much the only one who hadn't been embarrassed by a story yet.

"So, yes, Rizzoli has had her moments, that is embarrassing moments of course" coach Landers continued. "And if I remember this right it was one of the last games of your rookie season?" He looked at Jane who nodded. "Yes. So, Denver is here in San Diego trailing by a goal, it's the end of the first period and Denver is really pressuring San Diego in their own zone. Rizzoli is in the middle of the action, like always, and is battling in front of the net. Denver has a few really close calls and several of their players are jabbing away near the goalie until San Diego gets the puck out of danger."

Jane smiled while she pictured the whole scene in her head. It had been a really exciting game, and especially first period, with a bunch of chances and gasps going through the crowd.

"Now here's where it gets tricky for Rizzoli. She's lost her stick, and while everyone else is clearing the zone, Jane is left behind. Why? Because her stick has somehow tangled itself in the goalie's pads. She picks it up and starts skating off. What she didn't know, was that the blade was so wrapped up in the straps or pads or whatever, that it was seriously stuck!"

Smiles were starting to grow wider around Jane.

"So what does Rizzoli do? She pulls at the stick. And literally wipes the goalie off her feet!"

Everyone laughed and Jane looked over at Maura who was looking back at her with a poorly hidden amused smile.

"And now everyone has cleared the zone and are in Denver's zone, so it's really a 5 on 4 play. So one of the referee decides to help out! Rizzoli doesn't know what to do, the goalie is down on the ice, pissed and is yelling at her, and the referee isn't sure if he should stop the play or not. But he probably thought that Jane would head to the bench and change or get a new stick. But no. She stays behind and wants her damn stick back!"

Jane felt heat spreading in her face but laughed along with the rest of the girls.

"Just as Rizzoli is about to head for the bench without her stick, San Diego scores."

A collective 'awww' was heard around the fire.

"The goalie isn't pissed anymore, Jane is gliding over to the bench without a stick and the whole team is looking at her thinking 'what the fuck were you doing?'. That's seriously a walk of shame! And of course it was being filmed. I'm sure you can find it on youtube. If not, let me know and I'll give Denver a call!" Coach Landers sat back down as laughter roared all around.

Nicole was playfully punching her arm, her whole team was laughing and looking at her, but Jane could only focus on Maura who was laughing but with a comforting look in her eyes. Jane waited a few seconds before she stood up and cleared her throat. "Thank you very much, coach" she said as the laughter started to fade. "But you forgot the most impressive part of that story."

"Oh, did I?" coach Landers asked innocently.

"Oh yeah" Jane grinned. "It's true that San Diego scored on that play and was up 2-0. But what you failed to mention was that we won 3-2. I scored my first hat-trick in that game."

Laughter was quickly replaced with cheering and Jane sat down again with a confident nod to her coach.

"Alright, alright, that is pretty impressive" coach Landers agreed. "But I have to say it anyway: please don't lose your stick tomorrow!"

Jane laughed and knew they could go back and forth the rest of the night and decided to let him have the last word. She felt like she had won anyway.


	22. Chapter 22

**_Re-sign Rizzoli_**

 _It has been five months since Jane Rizzoli signed her contract with the Devils. She's played 30 out of 34 games so far and is one of the main reasons why Boston is currently in a playoff spot. 31 points in 30 games is just what Boston needs in a player. For years now, they have been missing a superstar, a goal getter, someone who can tip the scale in their favor. Jane Rizzoli has all of that, and more._

 _I could go on and on about her skills, her speed and stick handling, the way she reads the play and is a constant threat for the opposing team. But I won't. I will let the numbers speak for me._

 _30 games. 19 goals, 12 assists, 31 points. 3 shorthanded goals. 6 power play goals. 8 multi points games. 1 hat trick and 5 game winning goals. She was involved in all three goals against Carolina last night. She assisted Taylor on the game winning goal in overtime against San Diego a few nights before that._

 _Boston Daredevils need to extend her contract, now. Even if we're in the middle of February, even if she signed for two years and barely five months have gone by._

 _General manager Chris Stewart came to a Boston in pieces two years ago and had to start from scratch. They are rebuilding and we are all aware that it takes time. A lot of changes have been made in those two years, but what Boston has found now, is another cornerstone to build their team around. Heather Thompson is an amazing player and captain, don't get me wrong, but she can't carry the team alone. And along with goalie Louisa Graham, Thompson is the backbone in the defense._

 _What has been missing the whole time is the offense. You can't win hockey games with good defense alone, but it's a start. With good defense comes good offense, it's a reason why it's always being said in hockey. Rizzoli knows that, and although she's a pure breed offensive player, we have seen that her defensive play is getting significantly better. This is a type of player the Devils need to build off. The chemistry with Taylor is something they need to preserve and continue to develop._

 _Which is why Stewart needs to do the right thing and make sure Rizzoli stays in Boston. We can't afford to let her go._

Jane slowly closed her laptop and pushed it away. She leaned her arms on the kitchen counter and looked at Danielle who sat on the other side. "Well, shit…"

Danielle smiled and grabbed the laptop. She opened it again and looked at the words on the screen. "Told you it was a heavy one."

"They make me look like I'm freaking Jesus" Jane complained. "Like I'm here to save the team and get them a cup all by myself!"

"Okay, I wouldn't say Jesus... but you and I both know you're here for a reason. They signed you because you score goals and because you're one hell of a player. And you have the brightest future of all players right now." Danielle looked up at her friend. "I totally agree with whoever wrote this piece."

Jane groaned and straightened up. "I know I'm here to score goals but…"

"The numbers don't lie, Jane. And please don't play innocent with me. You know you're having a great season, you know just as well as I do that 19 goals so far is really good. And you know that you will end up averaging a point per game when the season is over."

"I hope so…"

Danielle sighed and shook her head. "You know. I know you will too, and if you don't, I'll eat your damn jersey…"

Jane laughed. "Oh man, I'd _love_ to see that! Maybe I need to keep a closer track on my points from now on."

"Cheating is not allowed." Danielle smiled and turned the laptop so it was facing Jane. "But seriously, this is all true. So please tell me you will extend your contract with Devils when they ask you to."

"If they want me to stay, I will stay. Unless something very strange happens."

"Like what? Maura quits?"

Jane struggled to roll her eyes without laughing too much. "I gotta go pack" she smiled and headed for her bedroom, trying to get out of the conversation. "You're still driving me to the airport, right?" she called out as she grabbed her bag just inside the door. She never bothered to put it away seeing as they were constantly travelling.

"Yes, miss Superstar, your personal driver will get you safely to the airport so you can fly off and do your thing" Danielle mocked as she came after Jane. She noticed Jane's phone blinking on the dresser. "You got a text by the way."

"Have I told you how funny you can be sometimes?" Jane quickly found the clothes she needed and put them in the bag.

Danielle shrugged as Jane grabbed her phone and unlocked the screen. She opened the text and for a second, she was confused when it was from a number she hadn't saved. That confusion quickly disappeared when she started to read.

 _Hi Jane, it's Maura. Just wanted to say that I read the article about you. Very nice! Makes me feel proud to be on first name basis with you!_

"What?" Danielle asked when Jane started to smile. She sat down on Jane's bed.

"Text" Jane explained and looked up. "From Maura."

"You're _texting_ now?!"

Jane laughed while she started to type a reply. "Apparently…"

 _Thank you… but it's not really something to be proud over. That article was a bit too much._

"You two have a very strange relationship" Danielle grinned and crossed her legs in front of her.

Jane just nodded as she closed her bag and threw it out in the hall. "I totally agree." The phone buzzed again in her hand and Jane was quick to open the message.

 _Of course it is! I don't think you know how popular you're becoming here in Boston. You're the best player on the team right now. (Please don't tell the others I said that!) And if Chris hasn't seen this article, I will personally make sure he does._

"You're not even gonna tell me what she wrote?" Danielle teased.

"Hold on" Jane mumbled, too busy typing to focus on her friend.

 _I promise not to tell :) And thank you, again. It's just a bit weird to read about myself sometimes._

"Here" Jane said and handed her phone over to Danielle. "Knock yourself out."

Danielle grinned as she started to read, but was interrupted by a new text coming in. "Oh, she's responding." She was about to return the phone, but curiosity won. "Damn, that woman's got some fast fingers!" They both realized what she had said at the same moment and looked at each other. Danielle started to laugh. "Well, that's a good sign I suppose!"

Jane laughed as well and exhaled before she turned back to her closet to find out what to wear that day. "What did she write?"

" _When it comes to the media writing about you, I think you just have to get used to it._ With a winking smiley! And then that she'll see you later." Danielle lowered her hands and stared at Jane. "She uses smileys?! She doesn't strike me as the type to use smileys!"

"Me neither" Jane replied and pulled out a pair of jeans and a simple black button-up. "Maybe she's trying to be cool" she smirked and looked at Danielle. "I just gotta shower then I'll be ready to go."

"Yeah, sure" Danielle mumbled while staring down at the screen again. "And you guys are so not on first name basis anymore! You're more on second base!" she blurted out as she saw the first text.

Jane stepped out of her room only to return right away. She walked over to Danielle and snapped the phone out of her hands. "I think I'll take this one with me so I won't have any surprises when I get back…" she winked.

Danielle laughed and watched as Jane left the room again. "Probably a good call!"

* * *

 ** _Six Straight_**

 _The Devils continue to impress and dominate on home court. Kansas was beaten 4-2 tonight and made sure the Devils have a shot at tying a franchise best at 7 straight wins at home. The record was set in 2010 and they have never been close to tying it until now. Even though it's not a subject within the team, coach Landers says it's still a motivation._

 _"_ _Knowing we can tie the record is of course a huge inspiration for us, but it's not something we focus too much on. We're still gonna play our game regardless of who is on the other side. But of course, wins against San Diego and New Orleans who are both very good teams, meant a lot to the girls. So they are definitely hungry for more."_

 _The new star in town, Jane Rizzoli, has been a rock in the six home games with 7 goals and 12 points, including 5 multi points games. She is obviously not looking back! So the expectations are high for the next home game against New York in two days. After a decent start to the season, New York has plummeted in the standings and are currently third last in the league. It could be a fun game to watch if you're a Boston fan, and it should be the 7_ _th_ _straight victory at home._


	23. Chapter 23

**AN:** Double post today, read chapter 22 first!

* * *

The hit wasn't that bad, or dirty, it was more the way she fell down to the ice. The skates lost contact with the ice and Jane fell flat on her back. Maura couldn't tell when the red helmet came off, but as it was spinning around on the ice, the number 29 blurred, she unknowingly held her breath. She expected to see Jane jump back up and continue the game, she _needed_ her to jump back up, but the seconds ticked by and no jumping whatsoever.

"DOC!"

Maura was already on the ice when one of the girls near Jane yelled. She stumbled, tried to move as quickly as possible but she could never get used to the slippery surface. Nicole hurried over to Maura to help her, and Maura estimated they saved a few seconds. As she approached Jane, she kneeled down and found a gasping Jane looking up at her. The dark eyes were desperately trying to convey something. Jane moved her hand to her chest, tugging at her jersey.

Maura connected the dots quickly. "You can't breathe! Okay, it's okay." She put one hand on Jane's shoulder while maintaining eye contact. "Breathe through your mouth" she ordered and her right hand settled on Jane's stomach, but all the layers of jersey and gear was in her way. She dug through them until her hand met warm and sweaty skin. "Jane. Breathe with your stomach. Press against my hand while you breathe. Slow, steady breaths."

Jane tried to do as told and struggled through the first breaths.

"That's good. Keep breathing. Let your stomach press the air out." Maura let her own shoulders lower as she felt Jane's breathing going back to a somewhat normal rhythm. It was not until then she was aware of the people hovering over them, on all sides, and she noticed the silence in the arena. The referees had stopped the game and it probably looked worse than it was from the audience's point of view.

Maura ignored them all and looked back down at Jane. "Jane, look at me. Are you okay now? Are you hurt?" She only got a blank stare back. "Jane, focus! Can I move you? Is your neck hurt in any way?"

Jane answered by slowly raising her head before it dropped back down and she closed her eyes.

"Okay, good. I'm gonna move you to the locker room." Maura stood up and looked at the girls surrounding them. "Help me get her off the ice" she ordered.

They immediately obeyed and helped Jane up on her feet. Maura noticed how Jane flinched and lifted her left leg from the ice. Something was obviously wrong with it.

All the players tapped their stick on the ice, and the audience clapped as Jane was helped off. It was a gesture that Maura never seemed to get used to. The respect, no matter which player, your own or the opponent, was shown in a nice way. As they reached the bench, some of the staff took over and got Jane to the locker room safely. They backed off when Maura kneeled in front of Jane.

"Tell me what's wrong, Jane." She didn't get an answer as Jane closed her eyes and seemed completely out of it. "Jane, look at me" Maura tried again and placed her hand on Jane's cheek. "Did you hit your head?"

Jane barely opened her eyes and swallowed. "I think so…"

"Are you dizzy? Do you feel like throwing up, falling down, anything?"

Jane shook her head slowly. "No, but my knee hurts."

"Your left leg, right?" Maura proceeded to roll down the sock after Jane confirmed. She realized she was nervous when she fumbled with the shin pad, but eventually got it loose. After a quick examination she stood up and looked at the assistant coach who was still standing by the door. "I need to take her to the hospital to get x-ray and rule out a concussion, can you get me an ambulance?"

He simply nodded and stepped outside to make the call.

Maura turned back to Jane and they looked at each other. It was easy to read Jane's eyes and the deep sigh, and Maura needed to take a deep breath. "I know" she whispered. Jane closed her eyes and let her chin drop to her chest, obviously fighting some emotions. Maura looked down at Jane's skates and started to untie them. She wanted to say something comforting but knew it would be useless. She could already tell that the injured knee would put Jane on the sideline for at least a week, and there was really nothing comforting to say.

* * *

Maura thanked the doctor after receiving the results from the x-ray and slowly entered the room where Jane was lying on the bed. She didn't acknowledge Maura's presence and stared up at the ceiling. "Good news, no concussion" Maura said and walked over to the bed. "Bad news is that you have injured your medial collateral ligament. Just a grade one, but you need a few weeks of rest."

Jane closed her eyes when she heard and exhaled loudly.

The silence made Maura nervous and she did the only thing she could think of; talk. "The MCL extends from the femur to the tibia on the inside of your knee. I believe you got a blow to the outside of the knee which caused the knee to move inwards and stretch the ligament. It's commonly known as a sprain. You don't need surgery but you have to ice it a few times daily and elevate it. You should also use an elastic wrap to limit the swelling."

"Stop talking."

Maura stopped. She stood silently by the bedside and waited, hoping Jane would say something more. She had worried so many times that a day like this would come. She never liked to see one of the girls injured, but seeing Jane hurt, and having to tell her she couldn't play for a while, was heartbreaking. Maura knew just how much the game meant to Jane.

"Can I go home?"

Jane's voice brought Maura back to reality. "Yes. You can. I called coach Landers to fill him in on the situation, and you should actually go home and rest. I will go find a chair and I'll help you back to the rink to collect your things." Maura turned around and headed towards the door.

"I'm not getting in a wheel chair!" Jane whined.

She should've known. Maura stopped and turned around, slightly amused by the five-year-old tantrum. "Fine. If you want to walk, then be my guest."

Jane sat up and was about to put her feet on the floor.

"But any misstep right now could mean you will be out longer than expected. And it will hurt." Maura smiled when she saw the halt in Jane's movements and dark eyes looked up at her. She turned around and opened the door. "I'll get you that chair now." The frustrated growl was easy to hear behind her.

They returned back to the rink and Maura made sure to help Jane into the locker room before she went to get a pair of crutches. The game had ended a long time ago, and only Heather and Nicole were left, waiting for Jane. Maura watched from the door as Jane sat down on her spot and informed her two team mates about the injury. After a minute, coach Landers showed up and stopped next to Maura.

"I guess she didn't take it well" he said with a slight smile.

Maura smiled as well. "She was actually very quiet about it all. Not what I had expected." Her eyes kept watching the trio. "Although I needed to convince her about the wheel chair from her room to the cab."

Coach Landers chuckled and nodded. "Why am I not surprised….?" He cleared his throat. "Hey Rizzoli!" All three girls turned their eyes to him. "Make sure you listen to your doctor and you'll be back in no time, okay? Cause we need you out there asap."

Jane caught Maura's eyes for a second before she nodded and looked back at him. "Sure thing, coach."

He patted Maura on the back and looked at her. "I'm sure you know how to deal with Rizzoli's temper, but if she gives you any trouble, just let me know."

Maura nodded before he walked away. It was true, she had some tricks up her sleeve when it came to Jane and her stubbornness and impatience. Especially when Jane was injured. Maura knew there was nothing else Jane wanted more than to get back to action, and that seemed like the perfect bait to get Jane to follow instructions.

Heather and Nicole suddenly got up and they both patted Jane on the shoulder. They walked past Maura who was pulled out from her own thoughts. She was alone with Jane before she realized the girls had left because Jane was ready to change and hit the showers. She looked at Jane who pulled the t-shirt over her head, revealing the well-defined abdominal muscles that Maura could still feel against her fingers. She tore her gaze up when she felt Jane's eyes on her. Maura quickly swallowed. "You should ice the knee when you get home. And keep it elevated as much as possible, okay? You could also use an elastic wrap to prevent swelling." She didn't wait for an answer and was about to turn around when she stopped and looked back at Jane. "Oh, and come see me tomorrow. Preferably before noon. And use the crutches." This time she waited until Jane nodded before she turned around and walked away.

* * *

Maura started her mornings the same way every day. She usually woke up before her alarm, took a shower, and got dressed before she had breakfast and a cup of coffee. She read the paper and cleaned up after herself. At the front door, she stopped to take a look at herself in the mirror, straightening her jacket before she grabbed her keys and purse and left her house.

Her thoughts had been filled with Jane since the injury happened, most of them sad on Jane's behalf. But that morning she found herself looking up for every door that opened after arriving at the rink, she looked over her shoulder for every sound, just in case it was Jane. She couldn't relax until she closed the door to her office and sat down with paperwork.

Just before 11, the knock on her door finally came. "Come in." She looked up as Jane entered, actually using the crutches, and closing the door. Maura put down the folder in her hands before she was struck by a sense of déjà vu. She was standing next to her desk, papers in her hands and the sight of Jane walking through her door sent her right back to that day when Jane had first kissed her. She could almost feel the push of Jane's body against hers, and she had to breathe out slowly to focus. "Good morning, Jane. How is your knee today?" She hoped Jane didn't notice that tiny shake to her voice.

"It's fine… I guess." Jane limped over to the examination bench and sat down. "I iced it like you said. And kept it high."

"Good. Any pain?" Maura casually wiped her hands on her skirt before she moved over to the bench.

"Nothing I can't handle." Jane put her hands behind her on the bench and leaned back.

Maura raised an eyebrow at the cocky comment and it caused Jane to snicker.

"Okay, it was a bit painful last night. Not so much today. Just sore."

"Good. Let's take a look then." Maura looked down at the knee, the blue sweatpants being in the way. She suddenly became nervous about asking Jane to take off the pants and she struggled to even get out a word. Luckily Jane solved the problem by rolling up the leg, and Maura imagined herself shaking her head and laughing.

"I figured sweatpants were the better option today" Jane said coyly as her bandaged knee was visible for Maura's inspection.

Maura smiled as she unwrapped the bandage and started inspecting the knee. "The swelling isn't bad" Maura mumbled, mostly to herself, as the knee was bare. She carefully touched the knee, pressing at specific points and noted whenever Jane flinched in pain. "I want you to keep icing it today, especially when you come home and have been walking a lot."

"Okay, I'll do that" Jane nodded.

Maura went over to her desk and sat down. "I am going to give you some exercises that I want you to do at least once a day." She started typing on her computer, finding the specific files she was looking for. "But you need to wait until the swelling is completely gone before you start." She printed out a few pages and grabbed them from the printer on her way back to Jane. "Take a look at them today and we'll go through them tomorrow, if the swelling is gone."

Jane accepted the papers while Maura reached for the bandage and started wrapping it around the knee.

"How are you holding up?" Maura asked.

"I don't know…" Jane shrugged. "Everything just sucks."

Maura looked up without lifting her head and saw Jane's eyes clearly supporting the words. "I know this is difficult, especially for you." She turned her focus back on the knee and her own hands. Jane was silent and looked away, like she didn't want to talk. Maura wasn't surprised, she almost expected total silence before she even asked the question. So instead of pushing Jane to talk, she finished her job on the knee and smiled as she stood up. "That's it. Same time tomorrow?"

Jane nodded as she rolled down her pants and carefully stood up. "Thanks, doc." She grabbed the papers and carefully folded them before she put them in her pocket.

"No problem" Maura mumbled as Jane left the room.

After she had typed in the notes about Jane's knee, Maura checked the time and saw she had still another twenty minutes until her next appointment. She decided to go watch the practice she knew was going on out on the ice. As she reached the end of the tunnel, she spotted Jane on the benches, intensely following the plays on the ice. Maura didn't say anything, but stayed in the background, watching both Jane and the team.

After a few minutes, the girls took a short break, and Heather and Nicole both made their way over to Jane.

"Skipping practice I see…" Heather teased and shook her head in discontent.

Jane smirked back. "The star deserves a break now and then."

Nicole and Heather laughed, and Maura couldn't hide her own smile. At least joking about it was better than sulking.

"And it's actually kinda interesting to watch you guys from the sideline" Jane continued while Nicole reached for her water bottle.

"Oh? How come?" Heather asked.

"Well, it's easier to see what you do wrong…"

Maura figured Jane didn't mean to sound so… cocky, that it just came out that way, but still she laughed silently in her corner.

Nicole leaned against the board while she took off her helmet. "Like you never do something wrong…" she mumbled under her breath and faked innocence when Jane gave her a daring look. She finally smiled and sighed. "Okay, fine… I suck today, so tell me all the things I do wrong. I'm sure I'm aware of half of them."

"You don't suck" Heather assured her.

Jane shook her head. "No, you don't suck. But I do have a few tips for you."

Maura focused more on watching than listening when Jane started explaining, using words and language that was like Chinese to Maura. She liked to see this side of Jane. Even though Jane wasn't exactly a veteran in this game, she had taken Nicole under her wing and sometimes seemed like a mentor. It was one of the things that had surprised Maura when she returned. She had not been prepared to see a grown up Jane, and she had thoroughly enjoyed watching the first few games and how Jane was always looking out for Nicole. If someone was a bit too rough with Nicole, Jane stepped up and figuratively flexed muscles. It wouldn't surprise Maura if Jane ended up in a fight because of it before the season was over.

* * *

Her apartment was dark except for the light in the hall outside the bedroom. Jane sat on her couch and stared at a single candle burning in the window, casting shadows all around her. There was a steady beat coming from one of her neighbors who were obviously having a party that Saturday night. Not that she really cared, she barely heard it over her own thoughts anyway. When her phone rang, she didn't want to answer it and barely threw a glance at it. It was none of her contacts, just a number across the screen. She only picked it up after staring at the last two digits, unable to remember why it seemed so familiar. "Yeah?"

"Hi, it's Maura."

Jane smiled and closed her eyes for a moment. That's why it was so familiar. "Hey."

"How are you doing? Did you do the exercises today?"

"Yes, ma'am" Jane answered, not surprised or annoyed by the question. "And I'm doing okay I guess." She looked at the glass on her table, the brown liquid almost gone.

"I'm glad to hear that. Did you watch the game?"

Jane scoffed. "Yeah, that was brutal! Kinda makes me glad I'm back home and not over there right now…" The team had just finished game two out of three on the road, and Jane had watched the girls lose 2-6 against Michigan.

"Yes, you should be. It is not a happy group of girls right now."

"Let me guess, they are either in their rooms or in the bar?"

"Almost" Maura chuckled. "I didn't see anyone in the bar as I passed by. Just Aaron."

Jane reached over to the bottle of scotch and refilled her glass. "So where are you then, if not in the bar? I thought I heard music in the background." Jane rolled her eyes when she heard her own words before grabbing the glass and leaning back.

"You heard right. It's the radio. I am currently in my room, sitting in a chair by the window and having a drink while I'm looking over to Canada."

"Right, you're in Detroit. How does Canada look?"

"About the same as the US. Dark…"

Jane sipped on her drink while she watched the candle in her window. She didn't know what to say to Maura and silenced. They had never talked on the phone before, at least not with Maura in another part of the country.

"There's a reason why I called you tonight, Jane. I know what day it is."

She wasn't exactly surprised that Maura knew and remembered. Jane had dreaded this day for a long time, like she did every time. That last day of February that once in a while peeked out from its hiding place. The 29th. Jane's number. Leap day.

"What are you doing tonight?"

Jane swirled the scotch around in the glass and sighed. "Nothing much. Sitting in the dark, having a scotch. And realizing I probably shouldn't tell my doctor that I'm drinking since I'm injured, but I'm not on pain killers so it should be okay, right?"

"It's fine, Jane" Maura answered and sounded like she was smiling. "You are allowed to drink tonight. Isn't it an Irish tradition to honor the deceased with a drink?"

"Yeah, it is." Jane swallowed the lump in her throat and forced herself to go on. "He wasn't Irish, but I figured he wouldn't mind. We're in Boston after all."

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Have you talked to his mother recently?"

Jane was perfectly aware that if it had been anyone else, she would've snapped, hung up, yelled at them that she didn't want to talk about it. She knew she didn't do any of those things because it was Maura asking. "No. I got a letter from her when I signed with the team. She wanted to congratulate me on the contract with Devils, and said she had moved back to Minnesota a few years ago. Boston wasn't for her. I guess this city is just full of bad memories for her anyway."

"I can't even imagine the pain she must've felt. Was he her only child?"

"Yeah" Jane nodded. She sipped on her drink while her eyes were still focused on the candle, wishing the day was over. If she hadn't been injured, she would've spent the day occupied with the game and preparations, instead she had had all the time in the world to think.

"Jane?"

The voice made her realize none of them had said anything for a while.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, if you want to talk about something else instead."

"Okay" Jane mumbled and breathed in slowly. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Of course."

Jane could hear from the change of tone that Maura was smiling on the other end.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I'm not sure…" Her thoughts were working furiously to come up with something. Maura could've easily ended the call, but chose instead to give Jane a chance to keep it going. "Tell me something about yourself that I don't know, like… why a doctor?"

"Oh… Alright, but I need a second drink first…"

Jane chuckled for the first time in many hours. "Is it my turn to say you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to?" She heard a few scratching noises before it went back to normal.

"Sorry, I almost dropped you on the floor. No, it's okay, I don't mind talking about it. Being a doctor wasn't my first choice actually, but seeing as how my father is a doctor, and his father was a doctor…."

"It runs in the family" Jane finished. She heard the clink of an ice cube against the doctor's glass in the background.

"Yes, and I do like being a doctor. I have always wanted to help people."

"So what was your first choice if it wasn't a doctor?"

"I wanted to be a professional figure skater."

Jane couldn't stop the tiny laughter that escaped. "What? Really?"

"Yes, I started as a little girl and it eventually became my passion, just like hockey is your passion. It wasn't very popular with my parents when I told them I didn't want to go to medical school."

"Wow…" Jane curled up in the corner and stretched out her legs on the couch. "I never would've guessed you as a figure skater."

"Don't let my awkwardness on the ice fool you, Jane, I am much better with skates than on my feet."

Jane once again laughed from the teasing tone in Maura's voice. "I'm not sure I can believe that until I see it someday."

"You want to see me on skates?"

"Yeah, of course. You work literally right next to a perfect ice all the time, and I wanna know if you're as good as it sounds."

Maura laughed. "Alright, I suppose that can be arranged. Maybe I will join you on the ice when your knee is good enough again."

Jane grinned for herself on the couch. "Deal! I'll make sure to hold you to it too."

"I am sure you will."

"So how did you end up working for the team?"

"A bit by accident actually. The previous team doctor was an acquaintance of my father, and I heard them talk about it when he had resigned. I gave Chris a call and I ended up being offered the position. My father wasn't too happy about it, and I think that was part of the reason why I accepted."

"Why wasn't he happy about it?" Jane asked.

"My father wanted me to follow in his footsteps which meant a job at the hospital, but I didn't want that. The idea of working with a team seemed much more enjoyable for me, and I liked that it was a women's team. You are all so passionate and focused on the sport, you want to go as far as you can and I like that I can help you with that. Even if it's just treating cuts and broken bones."

"So the ice had nothing to do with it?" Jane teased.

Maura giggled. "I'll admit it was satisfying to tell my father I was going to work at a hockey rink. I was hoping it was reminding him of my short career on skates, and I think it did."

Jane laughed while she leaned her head against the back of the couch. "I had no idea you were such a rebel."

"Oh, I'm hardly a rebel, Jane. I am much too worried about other people's thoughts and opinions…"

"Yes, you are a rebel" Jane argued. "In your cute little way, and I think the whole team is happy about that. I mean…" She took a deep breath to calm herself down after she realized she had actually used the word 'cute'. "They all like you, and it's comforting to have a woman around. It's…" Jane closed her eyes and chuckled. "I don't think I know what I'm trying to say. I just know that I wouldn't have told you the story about Denver and Sarah if you had been a guy."

"I think I understand what you are trying to say. Thank you. I'm glad you didn't regret telling me. I hope."

Jane smiled for herself and looked up into the ceiling. "No… I don't regret it. It was actually a relief to have you there during those games. Someone knew about it and that helped... strange as it may sound."

"It doesn't sound strange to me. Are we playing them again this season?"

"No. Thank God. I don't think I could get through another one of those right now." Jane noticed how Maura used the word 'we' and how comfortable the doctor sounded with it.

"That game before Christmas…" The doctor's voice was anything but comfortable as she spoke again. "What… made you fight her?"

Jane swallowed, her eyes settled on the glass in her hand. She completely choked up. "I…" How was she supposed to explain the fight? Maura had heard only part of all that was said during that game, and even that was more than enough. "She just… kept pushing me, and she was way out of line when she approached you." Jane took a slow sip of her drink, let the strong taste of the scotch simmer for a bit before she swallowed.

"What did she say that pushed you over the edge? It seemed like you just lost control."

It amazed her that Maura could bring up that particular game like nothing had ever happened between them. Jane had buried the game deep in her memories as soon as it was over, but Sarah's words were still crystal clear if she allowed them to surface.

 _"_ _I hope she fucks you over so you know how it feels."_

"I… I can't" Jane croaked. She felt like throwing her phone out of the window, or smashing it against the wall, anything to remove Maura's voice from her ear. She heard her own breath shaking as she breathed in, tears pressing to break free.

"It's okay, Jane. It's okay" Maura rushed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I was just curious. I tend to dig too deep when I'm curious. You don't have to tell me."

At least it made Jane breathe normally again, but she still wanted to end the call. Apparently the past was still too fragile to even think about. No one said anything, and all Jane could hear for a while was the muffled songs on the radio in Maura's room. Eventually, Maura cleared her throat.

"How is your knee? Any pain when you do the exercises?"

"Not really…" Jane mumbled.

"According to normal recovery, you might be back on the ice by the end of next week."

That made Jane cheer up a little bit. "Really?"

"Well, I can't say for certain yet, but it's a possibility. It will just be a short time, and not with the team."

"I'll take it" Jane smiled. "I'm slowly going insane here…"

"Slowly?" Maura asked with a teasing tone.

Jane laughed softly. "No… figure of speech" she explained.

"That's what I thought. We can discuss it on Tuesday. I'll tell James to stop by as well."

"Great." Jane paused before she sighed. She wanted to end the call in a good way. "Thanks for calling me, doc. It helped…"

"You're welcome, Jane. As I said, I wanted to hear how you were doing."

Jane nodded for herself and even though the call had been a roller coaster, she felt better than she had expected. "I'm doing much better now. Thanks again."

"Anytime, Jane."


	24. Chapter 24

After being kept off the ice for almost two weeks, Jane was thrilled when she was allowed to gear up again. Even though it was just a short run on the ice with the doctor and the physical coach. She sat in the locker room, all dressed up, and just waited for the team to finish their practice. Jane checked her skates, adjusted her helmet, anything to make time pass. In between the excitement and joy, she was well aware of how exhausting it would be. Her body wasn't used to being still, at least not for two weeks.

After a few more minutes she heard her team making it towards the locker room, and Jane started to smile. None of them knew she was going back out there and she knew it would be a nice surprise. Nicole was one of the first ones to see her and broke out into a huge grin.

"You're suited up!"

Jane just nodded as the rest of the girls entered, with Heather as the last one as usual, and everyone smiled at Jane when they saw her.

"She's letting you back on the ice?" Nicole continued as she sat down.

"Yeah, just for a short while. And under strict supervision…"

Heather found her place next to Jane and gave her a nudge. "Just you and her, huh?"

Jane smirked and shook her head. "And James…"

"Well crap, that kinda ruins the moment…"

"You think?" Jane replied sarcastically and laughed.

"Anyway, I'm glad you're allowed on the ice again. We really need you fit for fight." Heather gave her a quick pat on the thigh. "Now go, don't keep your crush waiting" she winked.

Jane searched for something to say, but couldn't come up with a good comment. Instead she rolled her eyes and got out of there.

As she reached the end of the tunnel she spotted Maura sitting on the bench, hunched over trying to tie her skates. Jane stopped with an amused look on her face. "Wow, you actually remembered" she smiled. The phone call and Maura's words had been stuck in Jane's head all day. They hadn't mentioned it since that night and Jane had prepared herself to remind the doctor of it if she didn't follow through.

Maura looked up as Jane approached her. "Of course" she smiled. "A promise is a promise, and I'm actually looking forward to it." She leaned back down to continue to tie the skates.

"So have you skated on hockey skates before?" Jane looked down at the skates that looked more like two black lumps on Maura's tiny feet. It looked pretty ridiculous.

"Actually, this will be my first time, and I am very anxious about it. I know the skates are very different, and especially the blades. So no laughing if I fall." Maura glanced up with a daring look in her eyes.

Jane held up her hands while she smiled. "I will do my best…"

Maura shook her head and smiled. She tried to tighten the laces but had to start over again. "I'm too old for this" she sighed and straightened.

Jane laughed and placed her stick by the wall. "Here, let me help." She positioned herself in front of Maura and motioned for her to lift her leg. Maura did, and Jane rested the skate between her knees while she started to tighten and tie the laces.

Maura gripped the bench with her hands to steady herself. She watched as Jane tied the skates with ease. "Are you excited about skating again?"

"Yeah, totally" Jane nodded.

"You do understand that it is just a… test run, to see how your knee feels. It doesn't mean you can play the next game."

Jane looked up and tried to hide the disappointment in her eyes. She knew this all too well. "I know, doc, I'm just glad it's moving forward. You've told me it takes time. And I get it. I'm not gonna rush it either." She carefully let the doctor's foot down on the floor and asked for the other.

"I'm glad. I am aware I tend to say things several times. You just have to excuse me, but I just want to see you get back again. I know how impatient you are, and how frustrating this injury is for you."

Jane finished the second skate without a word and looked at Maura. "All set."

"Thank you" Maura smiled and got up. "Oh, you won't be needing that today" she said when Jane reached for her stick. "No stick and no puck today. Doctor's rule."

"You have too much power" Jane mumbled with a grin as she stepped on the ice without her stick. She took a few strides and felt her shoulders lower by the feel of the ice under her skates.

"I heard that" the doctor's voice called out behind her.

Jane grinned and turned around just in time to see Maura step on the ice. It took a few strides before the doctor felt comfortable enough to up her game. "You okay?" Jane smiled.

Maura looked at her and smiled. "It's all coming back to me." With movements like a professional, she skated towards the middle of the ice where she did a quick pirouette before stopping and holding out her arms.

"Nice!" Jane smiled and made her way over to the doctor. "Okay, I believe you."

"Good" Maura practically sparkled. "It means I still got it."

"You sure do" Jane laughed softly. "So, what's the plan today?"

"Well, you should do a few rounds, slowly, no rushing, and see how it feels. You need to tell me how it feels, if there's any pain or discomfort."

"Okay" Jane nodded enthusiastically, eager to get going.

"Be careful when turning around the goal, and no sudden movements."

Jane was almost expecting Maura to wave her finger in front of her, and she had to hide a smile. "I'll be careful."

Maura studied the look on Jane's face, like she didn't believe her, before she smiled. "Alright. It's all yours." She held out her hand as a green light. A smile was all Maura could see before Jane disappeared down the ice.

Jane had to laugh at herself, she felt like she had just been released from imprisonment. She skated down towards the goal, around it and up the other side. It felt wonderful. Even though she could already tell her thighs were gonna be sore as hell tomorrow. She rounded the goal on the other end.

"Talk to me, Jane!" Maura ordered from the middle.

"It feels good! No pain. Just… I don't know… like it's been a while since I skated."

"No need to be a wise ass…"

Jane laughed and barely managed to catch Maura's eyes as she passed.

"So no pain? Not even through the turns?"

"No!" As Jane skated past the benches, she barely saw coach Landers joining them, and she slowed down a bit. He skated over to Maura while keeping an eye on Jane.

"Feeling good, Rizzoli?"

"Getting better and better!"

"Glad to hear it!" He stopped next to Maura and they started talking.

Jane tried to listen to what they were saying but the sounds from her skates made it difficult to catch all the words. She only figured out that James, the physical coach, had been held up with something and coach Landers had offered to help out. Jane sighed. She actually liked James and had been looking forward to a practice with him and Maura. It had seemed so much more casual than she was used to. With coach Landers everything was formal and serious, at least Jane felt that way. And with the way things had seemed to loosen up between her and the doctor, spending time with her was absolutely something Jane was excited about now.

* * *

Maura settled on her couch, legs stretched out and her computer on her lap, determined to catch up on some articles she had bookmarked. She was barely done with the third one when she got bored. She turned her eyes to the window and the darkness outside, her thoughts going back to the game earlier that day. Like tiles of domino, she found herself wondering who had the most goals on the team right now, and how they compared to the rest of the league. Her fingers quickly typed in the right words on her laptop and she found the statistics for the Boston Daredevils. She giggled and shook her head when she saw the name on top of the list. Of course Jane had the most goals, she should've known. 21 goals, but it was still a long way to the top of the league.

On the right side, a column of related news articles brought her back to the game where Jane was injured.

 ** _(Un)Lucky Seven_**

 _The Boston Daredevils tied the club record with 7 straight wins at home when they crushed New York 5-1 tonight. Nicole Taylor was the big star of the game with her two goals and one assist._

 _The downside was that they had to manage part of the game without Jane Rizzoli who was injured at the end of the second period. Rizzoli needed medical attention after an unfortunate hit to the knee and left the game with 3:22 left on the clock. According to coach Landers, Rizzoli will be out for at least two weeks with a sprain in her left MCL. It will be a tough loss for the Devils who are going out on a road trip in a few days before returning home to try for record best 8_ _th_ _straight win at home against Hartford._

Maura sighed softly as she relived the minutes on the ice and clicked on another article about Jane. They were mostly about her performances in the games, but after losing track of the amount of articles she had read, Maura's eyes stopped on the two first lines of an article two months old.

 _Even through Christmas and New Year's, Jane Rizzoli still manages to make the headlines. But this time it's more of the personal sort._

Maura quickly read through the article and was left with a pile of emotions in her chest. Images and memories fired rapidly in her brain. New Year's Eve was the night it all fell apart. They had made out in a corner, they had been caught red handed by Heather, and Maura had left the party early. Then Jane on her door step, Ryan, words and yelling. Jane had left angry but it was way before midnight. And if this girl had spent the night with Jane…

She closed the laptop and threw it to the corner of the couch. A sudden anger tore at her heart. Had Jane left Maura's house and picked up a complete stranger and slept with her? Just hours after her hands had been all over Maura? She got up and shook her head in disbelief while she paced around in her living room. She felt…worthless. Mad. Confused. That transformed into sadness as the seconds ticked by. She wanted to pick up the phone, call Jane and ask her all the questions that popped up. But of course she was too reasonable to do that. After all, they had _just_ cleared the air and removed that huge elephant in the room.

* * *

Jane's first game back after the injury didn't go as well as she had hoped. She knew she couldn't expect to jump right back into the action like she hadn't been gone at all, but it was still testing her patience. They were under with one goal in the middle of the second period and there was a small stop in the play. Jane was leaning against the boards in front of their bench when Nicole joined her, eyes glued on one of the players on the other team. Jane started laughing. Nicole had been eyeing that particular player all game, and not with the intention of starting a fight. "Seriously?" Jane asked and nudged her friend.

"Yes" Nicole sighed and slowly turned around. "Come on, that's some serious eye candy. You can't deny that!"

Jane just smiled, perfectly aware of the doctor's presence on the bench. "Guess she's not my type" she replied casually.

Nicole turned her whole body towards Jane and gave her a look. "A hot ass chick who plays hockey is not your type?"

Jane laughed again. "Come on, we can't all have the same taste. Can you imagine how boring that would be?"

"But come on, you saw her before the game, on the bike… damn, those legs… Even if she's not your type, you can still tell if she's hot or not!" Nicole paused to look back at the girl and started to furiously poke Jane in the arm. "Look, look, look! Don't tell me she's not hot!"

Jane shook her head while she watched the girl take of her helmet and push back her dark hair. "Fine… She's… pretty hot" she surrendered.

"Pretty hot…. Or extremely hot?" Nicole pushed on.

"Are you worried I'm gonna steal her from you or what?" Jane noticed the ref signaling the break was coming to an end.

"No!" Nicole burst out. Seconds passed and Jane was just waiting for the question she hoped would come. "But you said she's hot… so are you gonna steal her?" Nicole turned to Jane and put on a sad face.

"Jesus…" Jane laughed and patted Nicole on the helmet. "She might be seriously hot, but she's all yours. Go get her" she teased as they started skating towards the ref and the faceoff circle.

"I can't… she's straight."

The soft mumble just made Jane laugh harder. "Seriously?! You know that?"

"I asked around" Nicole said with a shrug and a smile as they took their places opposite each other.

Jane sighed while she continued to chuckle. They were too far apart to talk anymore, but when she noticed the 'hot girl' lining up next to her, she couldn't help but smirk. Jane knew Nicole saw it, she knew just exactly how fierce that look on Nicole's face was behind the caged helmet, and Jane's body shook while she was laughing. The referee was ready to drop the puck, and everyone was getting ready to go after it. Including Nicole, Jane and 'the hot girl'. It was normal for the wingers to fight for position in a drop, and Jane never backed down. She didn't this time either, but in that moment she got an extra bonus. She was side by side with the girl, and their body contact stretched from shoulder to knee as they battled for position. After all, they did play a full contact sport. But the glares she got from Nicole was almost enough to break Jane's concentration. She knew they were just messing around, but it was still refreshing to be on the other side for once, and not be the one getting teased about a girl.

The puck dropped and the game was on again. The Devils were left chasing the puck from the start and Jane tried to keep an eye out for the girl and Nicole. Why not have a little fun if she could?

The Sharks were soon setting up in the Devils' zone and getting shots at the goal. Jane was quickly back in game modus and worked hard to do her job. After one of the shots, Louisa couldn't get a hold on the puck, and it was loose right in front of the goal crease. Both teams rushed to either get it away or take a shot. Jane hurried over to the pile up in front of the goal, just to see Louisa covering the puck and the referee blew the whistle. Things calmed down right away, but Jane saw an opportunity and took it. Nicole was on the other side of the goal, conveniently in front of one of the Sharks. Still with some speed, Jane steered around the crowd only to _accidentally_ bump into Nicole who perfectly stumbled backwards and crashed into the Shark behind her. "Sorry, my bad" Jane smiled.

Nicole gave her a firm look until she was lightly pushed from behind. She turned around, ready to spit out some words, but silenced when she was face to face with the 'hot girl'.

"Watch your step!" the girl mumbled and skated away.

Jane chuckled silently for herself until Nicole looked at her and shook her head.

"You're an ass" Nicole sighed. She gave Jane a shove and headed for the bench to change.

"I know, but you like me anyway" Jane replied and caught up with Nicole, who was smiling. They sat down on the bench and Nicole was silent while she was catching her breath. Jane did the same, before taking a huge gulp of her water bottle and leaning on her knees while Heather came off the ice as well.

"You fucking did that on purpose!" Nicole blurted out and punched Jane in the arm.

"Hell yeah!" Jane laughed.

"What's going on?" Heather asked curious and leaned forward so she could see them both.

"Don't do it, Jane!" Nicole warned her.

But Jane ignored her. "Our young teenager here is a traitor" she smiled. "She's got a crush on one of the Sharks…"

Heather started laughing while Nicole shook her head. "Which one?"

"74."

"Why Jane? Why do you hate me?" Nicole sighed dramatically.

Jane responded by putting her arm around Nicole. "You know exactly why I'm doing this" she grinned. She watched Nicole look around on the bench and Jane leaned in closer. "Yeah, it's payback for everything you've put me through!" she whispered.

Nicole shook her head but laughed softly. "Fine. I get that. But you didn't have to bring Heather in on it!"

Jane smiled while she patted Nicole on the back. "You gotta take one for the team sometimes…"

Despite a loss in overtime, they didn't sulk. Subconsciously, many of the girls knew they were lucky to get that one point that night after playing terribly. Jane was still in a good mood while she, Nicole and Heather were on the bikes to cool down and it seemed to transfer to the other two girls. They chatted and laughed the whole time until Maura popped up in the doorway and cleared her throat. All the girls looked at her.

"Jane. When you have a moment?" Maura waited for Jane to nod before she turned around and left.

Jane slowed down on the bike and reached for her water bottle.

"You have a moment so soon, huh?" Heather whispered.

"Shut up" Jane smiled and threatened with her water bottle as she stepped off the bike. She reached for a towel and quickly wiped her face while she walked out of the gym and to the doctor's office. She was still smiling as she entered the room and saw Maura resting against the examination bench. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to hear how you were doing. Did you feel alright during the game? I mean, with your knee" Maura asked and forced a smile.

"Yeah" Jane nodded. "It felt fine. Didn't really feel anything out of the ordinary." She ran the towel over her face again.

"Good. You girls don't seem too upset about the game…?" Maura pushed herself from the bench and walked over to her desk.

Jane watched her with curious eyes while she slowly shook her head. "Nah, we're not really disappointed. We didn't really deserve that one point so we're just accepting it and keeping our mouths shut" she smiled. "And Nicole kinda provided us with the light mood tonight." She chuckled at the thought of it.

"Oh? How come?"

"She kinda developed this thing for one of the Miami players. We've been teasing her about it all night." Maura stared at her, with her lips pressed into a thin line and arms crossed. Jane could almost feel the air going cold around them. "Hey… you okay?"

Maura let out a puff of air before she shook her head slowly. "No, I'm not _okay_ , Jane." She looked away.

"Why not? What's wrong?" Jane felt her left leg twitch, but stopped it from taking a step forwards.

"I heard you two talk about that girl."

"And…?" Jane felt she leaned a bit forward, as if it would help.

But Maura was silent and seemed to struggle with something. She just stood there, arms crossed and biting her lip.

"Hey…" Jane coaxed and took a step forward. "What's wrong?"

Maura turned around on her heel to face Jane. "Did I mean that little to you that you could just go and… fuck someone else?" Without blinking, she went over to the door and slammed it shut.

Jane flinched by the sound before she turned around. "Wh-what?" she stuttered, completely clueless as to what was going on. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"The girl, Jane. Brook or whatever her name was…" Maura crossed her arms again and stepped closer to Jane. "You said all the right things to me, and just hours later you find someone else?"

"Hold up. I haven't done anything! I have no idea what you're talking about!" Jane's brain struggled to connect the dots. "I haven't slept with that girl! For fuck's sake, I don't even know her name!"

Without hesitating, Maura moved closer to Jane and looked her in the eyes. "You stood on my doorstep and…" She took a deep breath. "You said things. Nice things. And I know you were mad at the end, but I didn't think you would just wander off and sleep with a stranger."

Jane blinked as the words finally painted a picture. "Wait, wait… you're talking about New Year's…?"

"Yes, of course I am, Jane! What did you think I was talking about?"

She couldn't hold back the short laugh. "I don't know… I'm obviously confused." Jane shook her head to get rid of the very weird conclusions she had made, and it seemed to clear up her mind. "Wait… why are you mad?"

Maura scoffed and her arms fell down alongside her body. "Why do you think, Jane? How do you think it made me feel to read that article? To know that while my fiancé was yelling at me, you were moving on with a stranger you had just met?"

Jane's water bottle landed on Maura's desk with a thud and fell over. "Okay, you're not making any sense!" she groaned and ran her fingers through her hair. "Why are you mad now!? That was months ago! And I was so not moving on!"

"I didn't know about her until a couple of nights ago."

"How? It was all over the fucking news!"

"Well, I didn't read the news back then!" Maura moved around Jane and walked over to the windows. "Reading the news in this city means sports. And I really didn't want to see you or read about you. I only saw the article a few nights ago."

Jane noticed by the small movements that Maura was shaking while she drew in a breath. All the while her head was racing. If Maura was mad about that… then… "Maura, you didn't mean… nothing."

"Then why, Jane?"

"I was frustrated, confused and angry. And sad. That combined with alcohol is not a good solution. In a messed up moment, it seemed like the perfect answer. I didn't think it would be all over the news."

Maura turned around and shook her head. "You didn't think I would find out."

"No, that's not what I meant!" Jane took a step closer, but stopped herself. "I'm not really proud of that one." She was cut off by a scoff, and the look in Maura's eyes made her slightly angry. Jane took another step closer, annoyed by the lack of height difference caused by Maura's heels. "It's not like you have any right to be mad. You can't be mad at me for sleeping with someone when you lied to me about your own damn romantic life! I was completely honest with you and you still held back an important piece of information. So you have no right to feel anything about what I did that night."

It turned into a staring contest where neither wanted to be the losing part. Jane still tried to piece together the information in her head, and it seemed like Maura struggled to find anything to say. It was all unreal to Jane. She had never expected Maura to react this way, she hadn't even thought about it. That one night was buried deep in her memories, and if she was honest with herself, she couldn't really remember all of it.

"I am allowed to feel whatever I want, Jane. Even if you don't approve." Maura looked away and again moved from Jane's sight.

Jane was left staring out the windows and sighed. "Fine." She turned around. "Feel whatever you like. Be mad for all I care, cause I know I wasn't the one doing the wrong thing that night."

"What is that supposed to mean? You think I did the wrong thing that night?"

"No…" Jane pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. "No, I don't think that. Look, this is… messed up." She looked at the doctor who was fidgeting with the sleeve of her shirt. "You totally blindsided me with this right now. I thought we had worked through all that shit and… I don't know. I'm just me I guess, not capable of dealing with emotional stuff."

Another silence settled as they stood far apart and awkwardly watched each other. Usually, Jane would've headed for the door by now, but she hadn't even considered it this time.

"Maybe you're right" Maura whispered finally. "Maybe I don't have any right to be mad. But that doesn't change the fact that it hurt to find out about it."

"This is where I don't get it" Jane said and sighed. "For you to react like this… it sounds like you actually cared."

"Of course I did, Jane!" Maura slowly walked towards Jane with a hint of a smile on her face. "Of course I did… I care more about you than any of the other girls. I pay more attention to you than anyone else, because you made an impression on me from the very beginning." Maura finally smiled and threw a quick glance down at Jane's hands before she took them in her own. "After you shared your story with me, I felt connected to you. I don't know how, I just know you were always in the back of my mind. Maybe it's your passion that makes you so vulnerable sometimes that I want to protect you. And maybe it's that same passion that makes you so fearless and fierce that makes me want to do everything I can to help you. Even if you refuse to accept any help at all sometimes."

Jane looked down at their hands. At least that last thing was certainly true, and she smiled. "Yeah, I keep hearing that…"

Maura squeezed Jane's hands and smiled herself. "You are right about one more thing: this is… _'messed up'_."

She couldn't help it, but Jane burst out laughing from the way Maura said the words while raising her eyebrows. "Oh wow, that was really weird to hear you say! No offence! You just don't seem to use that kind of words…"

"I know" Maura said and nodded. "It was strange to say them out loud."

Jane could feel the serious vibe coming from the doctor and decided to keep her mouth shut. Within seconds, Maura spoke again.

"I apologize for bringing up the past again, I really hope it's the last time." She looked up at Jane's dark eyes and seemed to plead.

"I don't have any more secrets" Jane whispered before she cleared her throat. "You know everything now."

Maura simply nodded slowly. "Me neither. I mean, secrets." She took a deep breath and let go of Jane's hands. "God, it's exhausting to be mad at you" she said with a slight tease.

Jane took the bait just to please Maura. "Yeah, I know several that would agree with you on that one." She put up a smile before she looked down at her hands, missing the warmth already. "How about we agree to stop fighting over all that happened? It doesn't do us anything good. And we must've pulled everything out in the open by now…"

"I'd like that" Maura agreed right away.

Not a sound was heard in the room while Jane nodded just to be doing something. She was afraid of the awkward silence. "Hey… can I ask you one thing?" She waited for Maura to nod before she continued. "How did you find that article now, over two months later?"

Maura's cheeks turned red for a second and she looked away and smiled. "I was bored one night and looked at some statistics. For the whole team. But mostly you. There was an article from the game where you were injured and… I just kept clicking."

Jane smiled softly as she listened. The doctor had practically googled her. "Okay…" she replied casually.

* * *

Jane closed the door to the office behind her and took a few steps down the hall to her right. She stopped before she reached the corner and leaned back against the wall. Once she reached the corner, she could see the locker room, and she knew she'd be bombarded with questions as soon as Heather and Nicole saw her. So she took the opportunity to hide in the shadows while the last ten minutes played in her head. Well, at least the first few minutes. Doctor Maura Isles had just used a word that Jane never had heard her say before. A word that Jane, Nicole and the rest of the team didn't have any problems with and was used almost every day. Somehow, Jane knew that Maura didn't think the same. She had a feeling that particular word was… dirty, almost forbidden, in the doctor's mind, and it made Jane's mind go crazy.

She entered the locker room with her head still spinning. Nicole wasn't there, but Heather saw her right away and smiled. Jane sat down on her place and started untying her shoes.

"So…?" Heather asked and leaned closer.

"Nothing" Jane smiled. "She was just curious about the knee and stuff."

Heather furrowed her brows while watching Jane. "Are you sure?" she prodded.

Jane looked around in the room before she nodded, hoping Heather would take the hint. "Yeah, she asked about the knee _and stuff_ …" She looked back at Heather who seemed to be thinking hard. Jane rolled her eyes and smiled while she kicked off her shoes. "Later, okay? I gotta hit the shower."

"Fine. Later" Heather said with a warning in her voice.

Jane yanked off her t-shirt before she searched her bag for her phone. She leaned back while she quickly typed out a text to Danielle.

 _Hearing Maura Isles curse is seriously one of the most intense things ever! I seriously wasn't sure if I should be scared or turned on while she was yelling at me… Wanna have a late dinner at the Robber?_

She knew Danielle had been at the game and would probably respond faster than lightning to that text, so she held on to the phone and just waited. The buzzing of her phone didn't even surprise her one bit.

 _What the hell, Jane? How can you say something like that and then casually ask if I wanna have dinner?! Oh my god…. But fine! I'll be waiting at the Robber! You better fucking HURRY!_

Jane laughed silently and typed a quick reply before she put her phone away.

 _Oh the irony…_

* * *

Danielle was usually patient when it came to her friend. Whether it was teasing or listening to her rant or hearing stories from the hockey world. But even she had her limit. And as she was sitting in their regular booth at the Robber, staring at her friend over the table, Danielle knew she wouldn't be able to be patient. Jane was becoming uncomfortable as the staring continued, and shifted in her seat.

"Okay, talk. Please! You're scary when you're not talking." Jane spun her beer around in her hands a few times before she looked up. Danielle hadn't moved. "Or I'm leaving" she threatened.

Danielle just smiled and rested her arms on the table. "If you are leaving to go to her house and finally kiss her, then you are more than welcome to leave. If not, then you better stay put."

Jane took a moment to see if Danielle was joking or not, but the stare was solid. "Okay, what are you talking about? Why would I go and kiss her?"

"Oh Jane… sweet, sweet, innocent, stupid ass Jane" Danielle sighed and leaned forwards. "Listen to me, if you don't get your shit together and seduce that chick…." She frustrated waved her hands. "like soon, then I will personally go talk to her and make her finally get _her_ shit together. Either way, shit is getting real. And I _dare_ you to test me on this one."

Jane wasn't sure what to say, or even believe, and just looked at the table. She knew she shouldn't mess with her friend at certain times, and this definitely seemed like one of those times. "I don't think I've ever seen you like this" she tried to joke, but it was useless. The only other time she had seen her friend this serious, was when Jane had told her about the whole Sarah disaster, but that was a different kind of serious.

"You don't get it, do you?" Danielle asked.

"What? That you want me to hook up with doc, sure, I get that. But this? No… not really" Jane admitted.

Danielle signaled for two new beers before she took Jane's bottle out of her hands and placed it on the side of the table. "She's fucking jealous. She's jealous because you slept with someone. Two and a half month ago! And what does she do when she finds out? She yells at you. Like a normal couple would do. Or even someone who was casually dating but secretly wanting more. And I get it, you don't see it because you're, as always, in the middle of it. And slightly unbalanced because of the whole 'fuck' thing. And Jesus… I totally get that!" Danielle rolled her eyes and exhaled while she laughed. "I've only met this woman a few times, but even I would get a little bit hot and bothered if she said that to me… And I'm pretty sure angry sex with her would be mind-blowing."

"Okay, now you're way off topic here!" Jane interrupted for the sake of her own sanity.

"Maybe" Danielle grinned. "But the point is that she's jealous. No wonder she exploded after hearing you talking about someone else."

"Seriously? That wasn't anything to get upset about. I simply agreed with Nicole that a girl was hot."

"Have you ever told her that she's hot? That you melt every time she smiles at you?"

The waitress came with their beers and Danielle thanked her while Jane watched and waited until they were alone again. "No, of course not!"

Danielle did a slow eye roll and grabbed one of the beers. "I rest my case."

Jane sighed and shook her head. "I'm apparently stupid, so could you explain please? It's kinda difficult to keep up with you sometimes."

"You're in love with her." As usual, Jane flinched by the words and looked away. "But does she know that?"

Jane was still a few moments before she shook her head. Then she nodded shortly before she stopped herself. "I don't know!"

"Because you haven't told her. Look, everyone likes to hear that they're beautiful, or hot, sexy, cute, pick your poison. Even you, despite your best efforts at denying it. She's jealous, and you're putting yourself through hell when you should've started to show her some attention. I'm not saying you have to lay it all out there for her, but do something, smile, say something nice, that she looks beautiful or whatever. Or you'll get stuck in the same tar until you're drowning yourself in pity."

Jane watched her friend take a sip of the beer like nothing had happened, or in this case, been said, and immediately started to go over the words again in her head. For Maura to be jealous, that meant that she actually had to have feelings for Jane, and that seemed slightly weird in Jane's mind. But Danielle had more than once pointed out how Jane was standing in the middle of the storm, so maybe her all-knowing friend wasn't that wrong after all.


	25. Chapter 25

**_The Race is On_**

 _With just 9 games left for most of the teams, the competition for the playoffs is on. The first four spots have already been claimed by Denver, Michigan, Texas and San Francisco, but the last four are still up for grasp for several teams, including Boston who is currently 8 points behind San Diego in the 8_ _th_ _spot._

 _The Devils are definitely looking upwards in the stands. Five out of nine games take place in Boston for the Devils, and despite two losses in a row at home, coach Landers feel confident about the girls._

 _"_ _We really feel we won one of the two last games. Overtime loss to Miami was practically a win with the way we played. That one point was a steal and we're not gonna lie about that. But a 5-2 loss like the other night is not something to be proud of. We need to fight back tonight and make sure the points stay here in Boston. We've already had a good run with 8 straight wins at home this season, and there's no reason we can't have 5 straight now."_

 _The Los Angeles Suns are coming to Boston for their first and only game here this season and should put up a good fight considering their chances for a playoff spot this year. The two games against the Suns have been even this year, each team with a win, and both games decided by one goal._

 _Jane Rizzoli missed four games with her knee injury, but seemed to be fit for fight in the previous game, her first after the injury, where she scored a goal. C Nicole Taylor appeared to miss her friend during the injury and it should be interesting to see if they can find back to the chemistry that was dominating for over a month before the injury. If they do, anything is possible for the Boston Daredevils._

* * *

Jane was in a rarely good mood before the game against the Suns. She couldn't really figure it out herself and just ran along with it. She was early for their team meeting, she felt good in warm up and was unusually chatty in the locker room before the game. She only shut her mouth when coach Landers came in for the final pep talk, but as soon as he was gone, she opened her mouth again. Heather had given up on trying to calm her down, and Nicole was just happy her place in the room was too far away for Jane to jabber away at her. But when the minutes passed and they all got ready to leave the room, Jane was right behind Nicole and carefully tapped on her shoulder. "Hey, did you hear who scored last night?"

Nicole laughed and turned around. "I'm not sure I wanna know the answer to that."

Jane grinned and tapped her stick a couple of times on the floor. "P. Hartwell. Seven minutes and three seconds into the first period."

"Who the hell is P. Hart-"

The look on Nicole's face when she remembered the name, made Jane laugh. "Yeah… I think she's number 74 on the Miami Sharks or something…"

Heather laughed out loud behind Jane, and Nicole shook her head. "You're such an ass… still!" she complained and turned forwards as the girls in front of her started moving.

"I know, I know" Jane smirked. "A real badass, but thanks for saying it out loud. It's been a long time since I last heard it."

"Wow…" Heather laughed and shook her head. "You're on fire tonight, Jane. I hope you're saving some of that trash talk for the game."

Jane just nodded and kept walking, automatically touching the Devils logo on the wall like all the others did.

As they reached the bench area, Louisa who led the pack, stopped to wait for the announcer. As soon as he had done his job, the girls jumped on the ice followed by cheers and applause. Jane waited patiently as the second last in line and kept her eyes peeled forward. She noticed Maura standing to the left, and thoughts immediately started to spin in Jane's head. They had seen each other several times during the last two days, but Jane had never managed to do or say anything out of the ordinary. She had never been really sure if it was the right thing, or if she even had the guts, but as she watched the line moving forwards that night, she smiled and decided to just go for it. She already felt pretty good that day, so why not?

When the girl before Nicole made it to the ice, Jane was right next to Maura and took a small step to the left. Maura didn't notice it until Jane leaned down to her. "You look really nice today" she whispered and smiled.

Maura looked up and blinked before she stuttered a 'thank you'.

"My pleasure" Jane replied before she took two long steps forward and jumped on the ice. She looked over her shoulder, pleased with herself when she saw Maura look down at her own clothes before searching the ice for Jane. Their eyes met, and Jane was positive the doctor was blushing. "Sweet…" Jane whispered to herself through her smile.

The game that everyone had predicted to be even, turned out to be just that. After two periods they were even at 3 on the scoreboard, and everything from shots on goal to hits were close. There was an edge to everything every player did on the ice. The playoff fever was certainly present and made it a very enjoyable game to watch. Jane had kept up her talking from before the game, and was constantly up in someone's face, preferably someone on the Suns, and chirping away. It paid off as more than one player was getting annoyed, but besides a few shoves things were calm on the ice.

The third period started with the Devils on the penalty kill and with a few good chances for Los Angeles, but the puck never crossed the line. The Devils had just killed off the penalty when a hard shot hit one of their defensemen who crumbled to the ice, holding her wrist. It looked bad from where Jane was standing, and even the referee decided to stop the play. Jane stood still and waited, she didn't even see Maura before she was being helped by Nicole over to their injured player. Fortunately, it was nothing serious and their team mate got up and skated off by herself. Jane tapped her stick on the ice along with everyone else, but kept her eyes on Maura who was making her way over to the bench again. She had to smile by the slight stumble in Maura's step and was about to skate over and offer her support when Maura looked up and locked her eyes on Jane.

It somehow made Jane freeze in her place and just return the look. Every once in a while, the doctor had this look in her eyes that Jane had yet to find a way to describe. It was confidence, Maura knowing she had the upper hand and determination all wrapped up in one. Jane was always thrown off by that look, and before she had managed to gather herself, Maura was right in front of her and not in need of any help as the bench was just a few steps away.

Except this night seemed to be Jane's lucky night. That confidence vanished in the blink of an eye when the doctor slipped on the ice, arms flailing. Jane didn't even know what was happening until she had reached out and prevented the doctor from falling and most likely making the audience laugh. Her arm was wrapped around Maura, and their eyes met again.

"Thank you… again" Maura smiled and carefully put her feet flat on the ice again.

"Yeah" Jane stuttered until she saw the flustered look on Maura's face. "Anytime" she added with a smile and slowly let go. She didn't have a chance to see Maura's reaction as she hurried down the tunnel to do her job. Instead Jane turned around to continue the game.

Ten minutes later and Jane had turned her good night into an amazing night. Not content with just one assist on the three first goals, she had given everything she had in the last period. It paid off right away as she scored merely minutes after her interaction with Maura. Luckily the doctor had just returned and saw the goal.

To top it off, she scored two more just minutes apart, noting her second hat trick of the season and securing the win for the Devils. The hats rained down on the ice as the audience sacrificed theirs to celebrate. Jane stood by the bench and watched with a huge smile. Her team was still busy patting her helmet, and their goal song boomed from the speakers. She could really get used to that. The ice crew was busy cleaning up and Jane noticed a black and gold hat on the ice not too far from her. It looked like it was brand new and Jane swooped it up with her stick. It was a Bruins hat and Jane decided to be a bit cruel and skated past the bench and tossed it up among the audience again. She noticed some of the people laughing as they saw the hat, and Jane smiled at them before she returned to the bench. Nicole was looking at her, and Jane just shrugged. "We're not in TD Garden… we're black and red, dammit." Nicole chuckled and just shook her head.

It was difficult to keep her cool and not gloat too much after the game when the media was gathered around her. She patiently answered their question, repeating much of the same answers but with other words. In between questions, she noticed the doctor had shown up and was lurking in the background along with players waiting to be interviewed. Jane fought to keep her eyes on the reporters, but constantly found herself glancing in Maura's direction. And soon she started to itch to get out of the spotlight.

When the reporters were finally happy, Jane sneaked away and strode over to Maura who smiled at her.

"Congratulations! Twice in one season, very impressive."

"Thanks… I'm kinda surprised myself."

Maura laughed softly and put one hand in her pocket. "And very modest. Also impressive."

Jane smiled and looked around, noticing one of her team mates had taken her place in the spotlight, and she was practically alone with the doctor. "I think it was your fault though" she almost whispered. As she suspected, she got a questionable look and she had to kill a laugh. "I think complementing you was my lucky charm tonight. Maybe I have to do it more often from now on." It took every muscle in her legs to walk away without adding a wink, a confident grin or even a look. She forced herself down the hall until she reached the corner. Only then did she look over her shoulder and saw a slightly perplexed doctor looking at her. Jane smiled softly before she turned the corner and hurried to their locker room.


	26. Chapter 26

**AN: Double post, go back to ch 25 first.**

* * *

As soon as the bus stopped outside their hotel, Jane rushed outside and to one certain baggage room. They always took turns loading and unloading the bags, and this time it was Jane's turn. She smiled as she opened the hatch and started pulling out the black bags.

She had arrived at the airport in Boston with Heather and Nicole, like always, and met up with the rest of the team and staff inside. While everyone else was talking and saying 'hi', Jane had quietly searched for Maura in the crowd. When their eyes had met, Jane let her face and smile convey just what she felt by seeing the doctor again. She didn't even care if someone saw her, she just wanted Maura to know.

Jane had made sure to see in which compartment Maura's suitcase ended up when they loaded the bus after landing in North Carolina. Her reward was being able to give Maura her suitcase, and she was sure as hell not gonna let that opportunity pass by. When Maura stepped off the bus and headed towards her, Jane had already taken the suitcase out and put it down on the ground. She extended the handle and smiled at Maura. "Here you go."

"Thank you" Maura smiled back. She reached for the handle, but Jane didn't let go and Maura ended up covering Jane's fingers. Jane kept her eyes on Maura, not smiling, not showing any kind of feelings. Maura looked at their hands before she drew in a deep breath and walked away. Jane smiled and looked back at the rest of the bags that still had to be unloaded. It was a workout for sure, but damn, it was worth it now.

* * *

Jane and Nicole took turns shooting at the goal while they waited for everyone to change and enter the ice for practice. Most of the girls were already on the ice, but some were still missing, including the goalies.

"It's no challenge without a goalie" Jane sighed and passed the puck over to Nicole.

She fired off a shot that hit the crossbar and skyrocketed. They both watched it fall back to the ice and Nicole shook her head in frustration.

"Well, perhaps it's a challenge for a certain someone" Jane snickered.

"Shut up, asshole" Nicole mumbled and reached for a new puck. "Not everyone can be the superstar, someone has to actually give you all those brilliant passes so you can score." She sent a hard pass towards Jane who had no problem getting the puck into the net.

"True" Jane nodded. "So you should be glad you're at least good at that!" She ignored the glare from her friend. "So, I was bored last night and did some research. Did you know that there are a lot of players who might be free agents this summer?" She tried to keep her smile tucked away, not wanting Nicole to be suspicious, because of course Jane had a reason for bringing it up.

"That's what you do when you're bored? Are you preparing for what you are gonna do after your career already?" Nicole teased back.

Jane went over to the goal and scooped out the pucks with her stick while faking a laugh. "Okay now I don't even feel bad for bringing it up" she smirked.

Nicole was instantly alert. "What?"

"A certain Shark might be a free agent…" Jane smiled as Nicole groaned. "Wouldn't it be fun if Chris decided to sign her?"

"Seriously?!" Nicole laughed. "Can you please let that go soon?" She tried to stop all the pucks that Jane were sending her way.

"Hell no!" Jane laughed. "I will never let that go. Not when you're so stupid to crush on a straight girl. On another team!"

Nicole's face turned into a huge grin and she took a few strides to get closer to Jane. "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks…"

"What?" Jane laughed. Nicole just smiled as she skated back to the pucks. Jane went over the sentence and shook her head when she connected the dots. "No way. I'm not… living in a glass house" she smiled.

"Uh huh…"

"I'm not." Jane skated over to Nicole and stopped by her side. " _She_ is not straight. Trust me, I know! Straight girls don't make out with other girls…"

Nicole looked up as Jane stole one of the pucks. "Okay, good point, but you should still not throw rocks!"

Jane laughed while she stole more pucks and placed them on a line. "Are you talking in metaphors right now, or are you trying to lecture me about throwing rocks?"

"I have no idea" Nicole admitted and watched as Jane started moving one puck in between all the others, showing an impressive stick handling. She loved watching Jane show off her skills, even if it was done on purpose or at practice like that.

"Anyway" Jane continued as she finished through the last two pucks, all of them still in a perfect line and untouched, and looked up. "Back to the subject… what will you do if… wait, what was her name? Pam? Paula? It was something on P."

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know…"

"Bullshit" Jane scoffed. "You know!" She poked Nicole with the stick while grinning. "You so know. What's her name? Paige? Patricia? Polly?"

Nicole tried to ignore it, but Jane was too annoying. Eventually she looked up and smiled. "Peyton" she almost whispered.

"Peyton! Of course! Thanks. So… what if she ends up in Boston next season? What are you gonna do?"

"First of all, you are way ahead of things… Second, if she does end up here, I'm probably gonna play like shit." Nicole looked down at the line of pucks and decided to give it a shot. She breathed out before she moved the puck between the first two. Between the next two she lost control and ended up sending the wrong puck down the ice. She looked up at Jane who was grinning. "See? I rest my case…"

* * *

Jane stepped out of the elevator, hands shoved in her pockets and heading towards her room when she ran into Maura near a corner. Jane smiled and wondered for a brief moment if she should stop or not. She decided not to. "Hey gorgeous" she said casually and kept walking. She had really come to love flirting with the doctor, mostly because it still made Maura lose her focus for a moment.

"Jane. Wait."

Of course, Jane still couldn't fight that ridiculous spell she was under and did exactly as Maura said. She stopped and turned around.

"Are you flirting with me?" Maura asked and took a step closer. She was almost whispering.

"If you have to ask I'm obviously not doing it right" Jane replied with a smile.

Maura shook her head and sighed. "Why are you doing this, Jane?"

Everything suddenly became very real, and Jane lost her smile. Because of Danielle and her speeches, Jane hadn't even considered the possibility that they were wrong, that Maura actually didn't want this. "You know why" Jane answered. She leaned her shoulder against the wall and watched as Maura looked up and down the hall, to make sure no one could hear them.

"You shouldn't." Maura mimicked Jane's position and looked at her.

"Well, I can't help it. I'm not over you…" When Maura closed her eyes, Jane moved a step closer to her. She watched as her own hand reached up and pushed the hair back from Maura's face. "It doesn't matter what you say" she said when Maura was about to speak. "It won't change anything. I'm not over you. And frankly, I don't want to be over you." Jane swallowed and realized she had just said the most honest and real words in a long time.

Maura looked up at Jane, her eyes showing mixed emotions, but she didn't say anything.

Jane let her fingers slide over a cheek and down to Maura's chin, her eyes following every move. When Maura still didn't say anything, Jane took it as a sign to make a move. She slowly leaned in, her eyes locked on Maura's lips, but the doctor declined by lowering her head. Jane ended up resting her lips against Maura's forehead and sighed. "I know you have feelings for me" she whispered. "I just want to start over."

"I'm not sure I can" Maura said with sadness, at the same time resting her hands on Jane's hips and making everything even more confusing for both of them.

"Why not?" Jane lifted her head and made Maura look at her. "Why can't we try?"

"We work together, Jane. We see each other every day, and I'm still your doctor. What if this doesn't work out? What if everything just becomes complicated and awkward? You have so much success right now, and there's just too much on the line here."

"How about we deal with that if it happens?" Jane asked and tried to ignore the thumb making small circles against her hip. "There are twenty teams in this league. Boston is just one of them. And… why shouldn't this work out?"

"You're still so young!" Maura said louder, but instantly lowered her voice. "I know, you don't think the age difference is an issue, but you are just 22. For me, 7 years are a lot, especially in your 20's. I don't even know if we have anything in common besides the team. I don't know you at all outside the rink."

"Fine" Jane said and let her hand run down Maura's arm until she covered the hand on her hip. "Then let's do something about it. Let's get to know each other outside the team. Let me at least try." She covered the tiny hand in both of hers and gently squeezed it. "You won't know until you try."

Maura's eyes flickered between Jane's eyes, her shoulders and the wall for a long time. She was obviously arguing with herself, and Jane watched patiently. Finally, Maura took a deep breath before she closed her eyes and let her head fall gently against Jane's shoulder. "Just… give me some time. I need time to think."

Jane nodded before placing a soft kiss on the top of Maura's head. "Okay" she whispered. At least it wasn't a total rejection. She held on to the moment, inhaling the sweet scent of Maura's perfume until the ding of the elevator forced them apart.

Maura slowly looked up at Jane and smiled softly. "Thank you…"

* * *

 ** _Shutout_**

 _After a disappointing road trip (2 losses), the Devils were back in Boston tonight and sent Oklahoma back with no points. The Devils were aggressive and seemed to have rallied back from the losses on the road. Jessie Perry and Heather Thompson scored Boston's goals while goalie Louisa Graham earned her 7_ _th_ _shutout of the season._

 _"_ _The girls played really great tonight, which makes my job so much easier. The defense was solid and they kept Oklahoma from shooting. I think they had something like 15 shots tonight, and none of them were huge scoring chances. I'm supposed to stop those 15 shots, so it felt good."_

 _This was the 47_ _th_ _game of this season, meaning there are only five games left. Springfield is coming to town on Saturday, and is another team the Devils should beat._

* * *

Nicole  
 _Hey, are you free tomorrow around 6-7?_

Jane  
 _As far as I know. Why?_

Nicole  
 _I was thinking maybe you could help me work on my shooting…_

Jane  
 _Sure. Is the whole 'not being able to score'-thing getting to you?_

Nicole  
 _I like to think of it as leaving the scoring to you… but yes! God, it's been nine games. I am not gonna let it be 13._

Jane  
 _I'm pretty sure you're not gonna go through the rest of the games without a goal. But I'll help, of course. When?_

Nicole  
 _I really hope you're right… Can I get back to you on the time? Trying to make sure we can have the ice._

Jane  
 _Yeah. Just let me know._

Jane put her phone back on the table while she smiled. Nicole _had_ been frustrated lately after going nine games without a goal. Jane knew it was tough, especially in your first season and when it was just a handful of games left. But on the other hand, Nicole was more of a playmaker than a goal getter, and it showed in her stats. Whenever Jane scored, Nicole almost always had an assist. She was a big part of Jane's goals, and they both knew that.

After staring at the bottle of beer on the table, Jane turned her head to the kitchen. She was almost certain she had popcorn or chips or something, and it was Saturday after all. They had no practice the next day, no game until Wednesday and they had won the game against Springfield earlier in the day. She totally deserved some snacks with her beer. She almost bounced off the couch and jogged into the kitchen where she found a bag of chips. As she went back to her couch, thoughts started to race in her head.

The season _was_ in fact coming to an end. In just under two weeks it would all be over for now, unless they somehow made it to the playoffs, and there was still a theoretical chance of that happening. With four games left, the Devils were only five points behind Maine who currently held the last playoff spot. But Jane knew it was a small chance. She knew which teams they were facing in the next games, and two of the games were against top 4 teams. Jane was pretty sure they would have a hard time getting any points from those games. And even if the Devils won their games, Maine could hold on to their spot by securing two more points.

Everyone was well aware that a playoff spot was not in the Devils' plans for the season. A rebuild took time, and if they were going to make it to the playoffs this year, it would be the cherry on top of a pretty good season. Even if they would be crushed in the first round, it'd still be admirable.

Jane hated whenever a season ended, she wasn't good at coping with all the time off during the summer, but this time there was something else that made her dread the end. There were no practices or team meetings in the off-season, not until late July when training camp begun. And that meant no Maura. Jane sat down and leaned her head back against the couch, the bag of chips still in her hand. She had no idea how to prepare for off-season. Especially not under the current circumstances, with everything seemingly up in the air.

* * *

The following day, Jane arrived at the rink just before 7, like she and Nicole had agreed. She came into the locker room and noticed Nicole's bag and clothes already there so she hurried. As she walked down the hall and towards the tunnel to the ice, she heard the distinct sounds of skates against the ice. Jane put on her gloves as she went through the tunnel, but once she got to the benches, she stopped. A pair of boots were on the floor, a purse on the bench with a carefully folded coat on top. Every possible alarm went off in Jane's head while she took a step closer to the open door and looked around the ice. In the far corner was Maura, doing pirouettes like a pro.

Jane sighed before she cleared her throat. It was so typical. Why did she have to run into the doctor on her own playing field?

Maura stopped and looked up as Jane stepped on the ice. "Jane… hi." She looked surprised.

"Hey." Jane slowly took a few strides and glided closer to the doctor. "Sorry to interrupt, I didn't know you were here."

"No problem" Maura smiled. "Are you putting in some extra hours?"

"Kinda… I promised Nicole to work on her shooting." Jane looked around when she realized Nicole wasn't there. "Have you seen her?"

Maura looked at Jane with furrowed brows before she shook her head. "No, she said she was delayed."

Jane's head whipped back to face Maura. "What?" But Maura just nodded. "How do you know?"

"Because I was supposed to meet her ten minutes ago. Here." Maura ignored the puzzled look on Jane's face and skated towards the bench.

"Uh…. Why?" Jane stuttered while she turned around and followed the doctor.

Maura stepped off and started searching through her purse. "We talked the other day and when she found out I was a figure skater, she asked if I had any tips regarding her skating. We agreed to meet tonight." She found her phone and opened the texts before handing it over to Jane.

Jane looked at the facts and scoffed. "Why would she plan to meet us at the same time?" It was like a light was turned on when Jane saw the connection. There was only one logical answer, but Jane still needed to go over it in her head. She knew she hadn't messed up the day or the time, Nicole had called her just hours ago and they were definitely meeting that night. And if Nicole had texted Maura to say she was running late… "Shit!" Jane let out a deep breath and looked up at Maura. "She set us up. Could I borrow your phone and call her? Mine's in the locker room."

Maura was obviously not following Jane's thoughts and looked confused while she nodded. "Of course."

Jane was already dialing, and for each second that went by without Nicole picking up, she got angrier. When the call went to voicemail, Jane turned away from Maura before mumbling into the phone. "You better be way outside city limits right now, cause I'm gonna kill you!" She turned back around and handed the phone back to Maura like nothing had happened, but fully aware that her voice had been easy to hear in the empty building.

"That was a bit strong, don't you think?" Maura asked and put her phone back in her purse. "And what is really going on?"

"She set us up." Jane repeated while Maura sat down on the bench.

"What do you mean?"

Jane was so used to being in the middle of it all that she forgot everything else. Maura didn't know what Nicole knew about them, and Jane felt awkward as she looked at the confused doctor. "She… she knows" she almost whispered. "About… you. And I'm pretty sure she did this just to…"

"To get you and I alone together" Maura finished for her.

"Yeah" Jane laughed nervously. "Which is why she's really in trouble right now…"

Maura smiled back at her and time seemed to slow down. They were both looking at each other, and Jane felt everything becoming tense and uncomfortable. Ever since their little chat on the road trip, Jane had become so aware of anything she did around Maura. She tried not to stare too much, she felt almost guilty if she happened to end up alone with her somewhere and always walked away from those situations. She wanted to give Maura the time she had asked for, and Jane was certainly not gonna ruin it by being her usual self.

After some awkward silence, Maura finally stood up and smiled. "Well, since I'm already here, and Nicole won't be joining us, I think I am going to take advantage of the open ice. It was really fun to skate again."

Jane nodded and watched as Maura stepped on the ice again. "Yeah, it's all yours, doc" she offered and sighed silently. "I'm gonna go. Guess I'll see you again tomorrow." She barely managed to step off the ice before Maura's voice made her stop.

"You're leaving?"

Again Jane nodded and looked over her shoulder. "Yeah… I just came because Nicole asked so…"

Maura had stopped by the mid circle on the ice. "Are you sure? We can share the ice if you want. It would be a lot nicer to have you here instead of being alone."

"I'm sure" Jane replied. She wanted to walk away, but the look on Maura's face denied her. She could tell from how the doctor's eyes were glued on her that she couldn't expect to walk away until they were done talking, and Doctor Isles was obviously not done.

Maura calmly made her way over to the benches again and stopped by the board. "Jane, have I done anything wrong? It feels like you've been avoiding me the last week."

"No, it's not that." Jane closed her eyes for a moment when she heard her own words, the wrong words.

"Then what is it? Why don't you want to be in the same room as me?"

Jane considered for a second to lie and get it over with, but when no excuse came to mind, she surrendered and sat down on the bench. She knew she was about to walk a thin line. "Have you had enough time to think?"

It only took a second before Maura looked away.

"I'm guessing no" Jane continued. "And it's okay. But until you have made up your mind about… this, I need to keep my distance from you." She paused to search for a clue that she was still on the line, only to see she was falling, fast. "And please don't take this the wrong way or feel like I'm pressuring you or anything, cause I really don't mean to. It's just that there's this… gut wrenching ache in me that I can't seem to satisfy. And every time you are too close to me, or we're alone, that ache is fighting to get free. I really, really don't want to ruin this again, and maybe that's exactly what I'm doing now, but… I don't trust myself around you right now." She struggled to keep her eyes on Maura, waiting for a reply.

Maura stood still and looked back at Jane, clearly needing time to take it all in, before she swallowed and nodded. "I understand" she said softly.

"You do?"

"Yes. And thank you for telling me. At least now I know why you're avoiding me." She tried to go for a slightly humorous approach and smile.

Jane forced a smile just to avoid any awkwardness.

"So" Maura continued. "I will see you tomorrow then. And don't be too hard on Nicole… you might want her alive for the last games of the season."

"Yeah, good point" Jane chuckled and stood up. "I'll try to remember that… thanks, doc." The smile she got in return gave her permission to leave. "Goodnight" she almost whispered and slowly turned her back.

"Goodnight, Jane."


	27. Chapter 27

It had been ten days since the encounter with Maura in the hallway, and Jane was more and more surprised for each day that passed that she had kept it to herself. She had not told anyone about it, not Danielle, not Heather or Nicole, but when she arrived at the rink for practice that Monday, she knew she had to tell at least Nicole. So Jane was early, mostly because she was bored and figured she might as well be early than pace around in her apartment doing nothing.

She ran into one of the accountants right inside the door and smiled as she greeted him. A few more steps and she automatically turned her head to the left and looked down the hall that lead to the ice. Maura's office was there, but the hallway was abandoned that morning. So she stepped further and opened the door to the locker room on her right.

"Good morning, Jane."

The familiar voice made her turn around before she had even stepped inside. Across the hall, in one of the treatment rooms, was Maura, kneading and massaging a pair of legs. "Hey, doc."

A head slowly peeked out from behind the doctor. "Wow, what are you doing here so early?" Heather asked.

"Obviously interrupting your spa day" Jane teased, and got a tiny smirk from Maura. "Is this why you're always here long before the rest of us?" She focused back on Heather. "Getting free massages?"

Heather lowered her head again with a smile. "Yeah, the captain needs some benefits to keep your asses in check all the time."

"Sure, cause that's all you do" Jane laughed while she turned around and entered the locker room.

Jane looked up for every person to walk through the door as she was changing, even though she knew Nicole was always one of the last to get there. When Nicole finally showed up, Jane stopped what she was doing and leaned back while she glared at her.

"Hey guys" Nicole smiled and seemed pretty much unaffected by Jane's glaring.

Jane slowly shook her head, trying to appear mad. "You've got some nerves to just waltz in here like that." She could feel Heather turning to her.

Nicole shrugged and stopped in the middle of the room. "Nah, you're not gonna kill me now. Too many witnesses" she winked before going over to her spot.

"Smart ass" Jane chuckled.

"Okay, have I missed something?" Heather asked and looked from one to the other.

Jane turned to her and nodded. "Yeah, but I can't tell you here…" she whispered.

"Ah, okay. I get it…" Heather smiled.

Despite being one of the last ones to arrive, Nicole changed pretty fast that day and caught up with Jane and Heather out on the ice, curious to find out if her plan had worked or not. "So…" she casually said and stopped next to the other two.

Jane rolled her eyes while Heather focused on Jane. "Okay, tell me, please."

"Alright. So Nicole asked me to meet her here last night for some help on her god awful shooting… And so I did, only to find a certain doctor here as well. This little brat here" Jane punched Nicole in the shoulder, a bit harder than just playfully, "had told Maura to meet her as well, without neither of us aware of it! And Nicole decided to not show up at all."

Heather laughed and looked at Nicole. "You tried to set them up on a blind date?"

Nicole grinned. "Yeah! Come on, someone has to make a move here! And it was kinda funny when Jane left a message on my voicemail, from Maura's phone, threatening to kill me! That one was worth it alone!"

Jane let Nicole have her moment, and was instead dreading her next words. "Yeah… well, here's the twist: there's something you guys don't know…"

Both Heather and Nicole looked at her and smiles were gone. "Crap… has something happened?" Heather asked.

Jane noticed coach Landers had arrived and realized she didn't have much time. "Last Friday, or whenever we were in Carolina, I pretty much told her that I wasn't over her and wanted to try again." She ignored the shocked looks and stared down at the ice. "She said she needed time to think. She thinks I'm too young and that it's too complicated because of the team and work. And I get it. So it was pretty bad timing for your plan." She looked up at Nicole and barely smiled.

"No… shit! I'm sorry. So what did you guys do last night?"

"I was about to leave right away, but she asked why I was avoiding her and I had to tell her why I can't be alone with her because I don't trust myself around her. So thanks a lot!" Jane knew she sounded mad, but was pretty sure Nicole knew it wasn't really true.

"I'm sorry… but… she said she had to think about it? So she didn't rule out anything?"

"No, I guess not."

Nicole smiled again. "Well, that's something! Right?"

"Yeah, absolutely" Heather agreed.

Jane smiled before they were told to move by coach Landers who was setting up cones around the ice. "Look, I didn't tell anyone about that chat for a reason, so… please just ignore it for now" she said and looked at Nicole. "And you better not pull any more stunts like that until I'm too old and weak to chase you!"

Nicole laughed and nodded. "You have my word. And I'm sorry, again. And I will ignore what you just told us."

"Yeah, me too" Heather chipped in and put a glove on Jane's shoulder. "But when she's done thinking…"

"I know, I will let you know" Jane smiled.

"Good." Heather nodded. "See, all this drama is the reason I need those spa days!" She slowly skated away from them with an extremely exasperated sigh and shake of her head.

Jane burst out laughing.

* * *

Two days later and Jane woke up in a new city. This time it was Washington and the first of the last two road games before they were ending the season with two games at home. Despite sharing a room with Heather all through the season, Jane still couldn't get used to the early wake up calls. Heather was always up earlier than they had to. So when Heather grabbed Jane's foot that was hanging outside the bed and woke her up with a scare, Jane buried her face into the pillow. "Oh come on!" she growled and pulled her foot safely back under the sheets again. "Why do you always do stuff like that?" She slowly rolled over on her back and opened her eyes.

"I can't resist" Heather smiled at the end of Jane's bed. "And it's much funnier than softly stroking your cheek and whispering your name."

"Please don't ever do that either" Jane rushed before stretching.

"Don't worry, we're not that close yet!" Heather laughed. She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water before sitting down on her bed. "Can you believe it's freaking April already? Ten more days and we're done. And it still feels like you joined our team last week."

"I know" Jane sighed and slowly sat up. "It's like I blinked and here we are."

"Yeah… What are you gonna do this summer?"

Jane shrugged. "No idea. The only thing I know I'm gonna do is sleep as long as I want every day."

Heather chuckled while she twisted off the bottle cap. "I figured you'd say something like that. I'll make sure to call you every morning then…"

"You could try…" Jane warned her and glared at her.

"Or maybe not…" Heather took a sip of her water and stood up. "But if you're up for it, I play field hockey with a bunch of girls as soon as the weather allows it. You're welcome to join in case you get restless." She went over to the window and pulled back the curtains, revealing dark skies outside. "It's really just for fun, but it tends to get pretty serious…"

"Yeah? Sure, that sounds fun. How many are you?"

"Many" Heather smiled as she turned around. "We have enough teams for a tournament, so there's some competition."

Jane smiled and slowly got out of bed. "Sounds perfect… Count me in." She reached for her phone on the nightstand. "When's breakfast?"

"About now. I was about to head downstairs."

"Alright, I'll catch up with you, need a shower first." Jane picked up her bag from the floor and started looking for clothes. At least there was one good thing about the off season; she didn't have to live in a bag most of the time.

* * *

Heather, Nicole, Maura, the assistant coach and coach Landers sat around a table in one of the corners when Jane came downstairs after her shower. She took a round at the buffet before finding a seat between Nicole and the assistant coach. She knew the girls at the table noticed that she ignored the closest seat which was between Heather and Maura.

"Morning, Rizzoli, how are you feeling today?" coach Landers asked.

Jane rolled her eyes and looked at him. "You still haven't learned not to ask me that until after breakfast?"

He chuckled and nodded. "Oh believe me, I have! I just do it to mess with you."

"Well, just know you're on thin ice every time, coach. No pun intended." Jane smiled for herself before she started eating.

Coach Landers turned to Heather on his left. "I'm sorry you got stuck with her" he teased.

But Heather waived it off and smiled. "I know how to handle her, and I actually think she's the one suffering on our road trips. I get very creative every time I wake her up."

The guys laughed while Maura sent a sympathetic smile from her seat on the other side of the assistant coach. Jane smiled back before she stared back down at her breakfast, hoping they would find something else to talk about. The change of topic came as Nicole grabbed her empty glass and stood up. "I need a refill. Anyone need anything, coffee?" She looked around the table before stopping at Maura. "Doctor Isles?"

Everyone knew Maura needed her coffee in the mornings, so she smiled and accepted. The coach accepted as well, and Nicole walked away. While Jane ate, the others started to talk about how the end of the season was already here, a topic Jane knew would be a popular one during the next few days. It was usually the same everywhere; as soon as you could count the remaining games on one hand, the topic emerged.

Jane barely listened and only looked up from her plate when Nicole returned with the coffees for Maura and the coach. The conversation went on, and Jane finished her plate and leaned back in the chair. She could see Maura behind the assistant coach's back and kept glancing in that direction now and then. On the third glance, Maura was lifting the cup of coffee to her lips and took a sip. The reaction made Jane burst out laughing.

The cup was on its way back to the table when the doctor leaned forward and spit the coffee back in the cup, all the while making a tormented face and her left hand covered her mouth. "Oh my god!" Maura put down the cup and started wiping her mouth, knowing everyone was looking at her, smiles and giggles all around the table. "I am so, so sorry, but that was awful coffee!"

Jane kept giggling in her seat while coach Landers looked down at his coffee.

"Really?" He decided to try it and took a sip, only to spit it out just like Maura. "Holy sh…" He put the cup down and shoved it away from him. "Did they drop a salt shaker in this or what?"

Maura was pleased to see his reaction while the others kept laughing. Everyone looked at each other, but as the laughter slowly died, a low snicker was heard from Jane's left side. They all turned to Nicole who sat there with the biggest grin on her face.

"Happy April fool's day, guys!"

It dawned on them all and coach Landers sighed. "Crap, you're one of those?!"

Nicole laughed and nodded. "Best day of the year!"

Jane looked over at Maura and when she made eye contact, she returned the sympathetic smile from earlier.

"Blame yourself for this one, coach, cause you told her to stay on the team" Heather teased.

"Oh, I know…" coach Landers nodded and looked at her before turning his focus back on Nicole. "Hey, kid, you want to play tonight?"

"Of course" Nicole replied.

Landers looked at the two cups of coffee on the table. "Then you know what to do!" he smiled.

Nicole sighed but got up to get new coffees. She chuckled all the way.

* * *

After the incident at breakfast, Jane was suspicious about everything Nicole did or said, but everything went smoothly. After preparations at the rink, Jane was so focused on the game that she had forgotten all about the prank. Coach Landers went through the game plan before they started changing in the locker room. The mood was cheerful and Jane was laughing and joking with Heather while they got dressed. She had just tied her skates and grabbed the gloves from the shelf above her. She put them on just to make sure everything was okay, the right one first and then the left. She froze in her place when the fingers on her left hand sunk into something wet inside the glove. "What the…"

Heather turned to her just as Jane pulled her hand out of the glove, revealing fingers covered in something white and creamy. Heather didn't know if she should laugh or be disgusted and decided on both. "Okay, what the hell is that?"

Jane scrunched her nose. "Shaving cream…" She was just about to ask the question why when it hit her. She slowly looked across the room, and just like she thought, Nicole was looking at her and laughing. Jane didn't know what to do and just sat there, holding up her hand. The laughter increased as the rest of the girls noticed the prank.

"Rizzoli? What exactly are you doing?"

Of course coach Landers had walked in at the perfect moment. Jane looked over at him and saw Maura and the assisting coach behind him. She got up and shook her head. "This is what you get for bringing in a teenager!" she complained. "If we lose tonight, it's all her fault!" Jane knew it was all for fun but she still couldn't help being a bit mad. It was her favorite pair of gloves. She wasn't as superstitious as most players, but when it came to the gloves, she needed the right ones.

Coach Landers looked at the hand she was holding up and then at Nicole. "If Rizzoli doesn't have an extra pair, you will be sorry" he said with a smile but everyone could sense the seriousness in his voice.

"I made sure, coach. I'm not risking anything…" Nicole smiled back.

"Good…" He turned back to Jane. "Now… are you gonna wash your hands or are you waiting for a razor?" he grinned.

Jane groaned and walked over to the sink by the door. She mumbled some ugly words on her way but silenced when the assistant coach came over and took the gloves from her.

"I'll get you the other ones" he smiled.

"Thanks" Jane mumbled and turned on the water. When she had gotten rid of the cream, Maura was by her side and held out a towel for her. Jane smiled and accepted it.

"I am sure you will make her pay some day" Maura said.

Jane nodded before she chuckled. "Yeah, although I should've known…" She dried her hands and gave the towel back. "Thank you." She made sure to smile at Maura before going back to her seat. Heather was still chuckling, and Jane looked over at Nicole. _"Asshole"_ she mouthed clearly, but only got a satisfied smirk back.

* * *

 ** _Hanging By a Thread_**

 _Boston's playoff hope is still alive despite a 2-3 loss to Washington tonight. Maine, who currently holds the last spot, lost their game against Los Angeles Suns and are still five points ahead of Boston. However, the odds are not in Boston's favor as they need to win their remaining three games and Maine lose theirs for the Devils to claim the spot. And with teams like San Francisco and Texas left for Boston, it will be a tough battle. They have lost both previous games against Texas this season, who has been strong since the Christmas break and are currently in third place, one ahead of San Francisco._

 _Rizzoli was finally back on the scoreboard after going three games without a goal, the longest since a four game stretch in mid November. With the goal tonight, she set a new personal best in goals (27). And with still three games left, she is guaranteed an average of one point per game, making her the only Devil to achieve that this season._

* * *

After the game in Washington, they headed down to Miami for the last game on the road that season. Jane never cared for the times when they had games with just a day apart, especially not on the road. It was too stressful, and not enough time to unwind and prepare for the next game. So when they finally were leaving the locker room and headed towards the ice, Jane was anxious to get out there. As usual, Jane was one of the last in line and as she walked down the tunnel, she could see Maura at the end of it, standing behind the bench like she usually did during games. Jane watched her all the way through the tunnel. As she was about to pass the doctor, Maura caught her eyes and took a step towards her. A hand settled on Jane's lower back.

"Make me proud" Maura smiled.

Jane couldn't stop and had to tear her eyes away from Maura when she approached the open door. As soon as she was on the ice, she looked over her shoulder and saw Maura staring down at the floor and shaking her head. Jane smiled and felt pretty good as she skated around. Even if it looked like the doctor wasn't too happy about her own saying, it was certainly a nice motivation for Jane.

After assisting on Boston's goal late in the first period, Jane started the second with a lot of confidence and guts. She knew they could win the game, should win it, and she was gonna do everything she could to make that happen. She gave her all in every battle and simply decided that she was gonna be a huge pain in the ass for the Miami defense that night.

On her third shift, she chased a puck behind the Miami goal and ended up fighting for it with their defense. She used her skate to lock the puck against the board while she waited for help from her team. A second Miami player got there first and Jane was constantly pushed and shoved against the board and glass. Just as she used her stick to poke the puck towards Nicole who came down the left side, something hit her in the upper arm and the pain was sudden and intense. She grabbed her arm and tried to keep going. But when she tried to make a play for the puck and she couldn't even hold her stick, she quickly skated to the bench and stepped off the ice. She dropped her stick and gloves and made eye contact with Maura before going down the tunnel, removing her helmet as well.

Maura followed her right away and caught up with her at the end of the tunnel. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Jane was already taking off her jersey and the protective gear. "My upper arm" she replied and dropped the shoulder pads to the floor. "Cramp." She started to stretch her arm as soon as the gear was off.

"Okay, let's fix that." Maura looked up at Jane before she smiled. "And you're one step ahead of me."

Jane barely smiled back while holding her position. After a while she sighed and gave up. "It's not working."

Maura grabbed her elbow right away and pulled her to a chair. "Sit" she ordered, and Jane obeyed. Maura pushed the sleeve of the shirt out of her way and started to massage Jane's arm.

It didn't take long before Jane started to feel the most intense pain leaving and her arm coming to life again. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but it turned out to be almost impossible. When the pain disappeared, all she could feel was the touch on her skin and how close Maura was. She tried not to look, but failed several times, her eyes making their way up to Maura's face until the doctor's eyes looked back at her.

"What I said earlier, before the game, I didn't mean that I am not already proud of you" Maura said with her eyes glued to Jane's arm. "I was simply referring to what I said about the article, and I am in fact very proud of you. It came out sounding differently than in my head. I suppose that's what I get for improvising and trying to-"

"Maura." The name efficiently silenced the doctor, and Jane smiled as she looked up. "It's okay. I know what you meant, and I actually liked it." When she heard her own words, Jane looked away. "It seemed to work too, I already got an assist so…"

"That is true" Maura agreeed. "And the game is still young."

Jane focused back on Maura when the fingers stopped moving on her arm.

"How does it feel?" Maura nodded slightly to the arm.

"Much better" Jane smiled. She closed her fist and flexed the muscles, testing the arm. "Yeah, much better." When Maura took a step back, Jane stood up and started putting the shoulder pads on again. "Thank you" she smiled down at Maura who had picked up her jersey and held it up for her.

"I am your doctor, Jane, you don't have to thank me for doing my job, although it is very polite of you."

Jane chuckled and put on her jersey. "I guess I was raised right then."

"Apparently" Maura smiled before Jane walked down the tunnel and returned to the game.

* * *

It had turned out to be a great game where Boston won and Jane had scored her third hat trick of the season. But it was the way she scored the last one that was the reason she was smiling on her couch back home, at almost 1 am. They had flown straight back to Boston after the game, and even though it was late and Jane was exhausted, she couldn't find the will to go to bed yet. She stared up at the ceiling while thinking back on the last couple of minutes of the game.

Miami was down 3-1 but had pulled their goalie to get an extra skater on the ice. Their net was empty and it was basically a power play. Jane could see the empty net behind the Miami defense and she knew she had a chance. Nicole was out there with her and when she had read the play and got in a battle on the left side, Jane was nervously gliding around on their blueline. When Nicole managed to tap the puck out into the neutral zone, Jane took off.

She knew she was faster than most of the players out there, and was about to reach the puck first. The problem was a tiny notch in the ice and Jane tumbled and fell on her stomach. She didn't care as she was sliding along the ice, the only thing on her mind was getting that puck into the net. She managed to take a swing with her stick and hit the puck before she crashed into the board. It didn't matter. She lifted her head and from ice level, it looked even better when she saw the puck come to a stop in the goal.

Jane jumped on her couch when her phone buzzed on the table, pulling her out of the sweet replay. She blindly reached for the phone and unlocked it. A new text, and while she opened it, she thought for herself that she really needed to save that number soon.

 _Everything happened so fast tonight, I never had the chance to respond to what you said to me after the game. Did you really mean that? If so, then I am honored, Jane. However, I don't understand why you would say that. I know it's late, and I hope I didn't wake you… Just needed to say it._

After each goal, Jane had taken the time to look back at Maura on the bench and smile, imagining herself saying to Maura how she scored just for her. After the game, Jane had said it out loud. She had passed by the doctor and said it was all for her.

 _You didn't wake me, I'm still up :) I meant what I said. And still do. Making you proud is without a doubt the only motivation I need. That's why I said it… I wanted to make you proud._

Jane lifted her thumbs from the screen and looked away. The words felt dangerous, but she couldn't stop herself from pressing 'send'. Maura had said she needed time, but Jane was getting impatient. Or crazy. Maybe a mix of everything. The season was ending, and Jane didn't know what to prepare for. The thought of not going to the rink and see Maura almost every day was terrifying. At the same time, she felt sick whenever she thought about the two possible answers she was waiting for. They both scared her.

 _I am already proud of you. If you score 5 goals in a game or none at all won't change that._

 _You know what I mean…_

 _I do._

She sighed as she stared at the conversation ending two words on her screen. What was she supposed to write back now? She didn't want to stop texting with Maura. She didn't want to go to sleep with even more frustration than before. Her hands fell to her stomach, still holding on to the phone. It seemed so easy to just type a question, get it over with, but she had promised herself to leave the ball in Maura's court. After all, that was what the doctor had asked of her. When the phone buzzed again, she couldn't unlock it fast enough.

 _I know this will sound very… selfish and perhaps a bit mean, but I'm glad whenever something minor happens to you, like the cramp today, or just a sore shoulder. It won't keep you away from games, it's easy to fix but the most important part is that I get to touch you. One of the few good things about being your doctor right now._

So this is how it felt when someone gave you a ton of hope and made your stomach do a dozen somersaults? Jane was grinning and biting her lip at the same time while her fingers started to type back. She _had_ to take a chance now.

 _You don't have to be my doctor to do that._

Jane kept staring at the screen, waiting for the response. She was obviously not very good at this waiting game. Her eyes roamed over the screen, from the number on top of it to the time up in the corner. 1.14 am and she should've been beat by now. The screen dimmed, and Jane flicked a finger over it to keep it on. 1.14 turned to 1.17 and 1.20, and she was starting to wonder if she had somehow analyzed everything wrong. Like always. Then 1.21 saved her from her doubts.

 _I want to be able to be around you and not worry about everything and everyone around us. I want to get to know you, Jane. I really do. There's nothing I want more than to explore whatever we have. Because it's clear that we have chemistry. I am just worried about work and that I won't be able to deal with two different relationships with you. This is such a complicated situation and I don't want the rest of the team or the staff to know anything. I hope you understand. I just honestly don't believe I can go on a date with you one night and then see you at work the next day and pretend nothing has happened. Maybe it's best if we talked about this face to face?_

 _No, you need to continue, or I'll be at your door in ten minutes. Seriously. I'm confused… what are you really trying to say?_

 _I am trying to say that I would love to have you over for dinner one night. Or a movie, take a walk in the park, anything. But I want to wait until the season is over. It can just be you and me, and not Dr. Isles and Jane the hockey player. If that makes any sense._

 _I'd like that. Very much. And it does make sense, I can wait another week._

 _Good. Then… we have a date. Now you better go get some sleep. I know you have the day off tomorrow, but you still have a couple of games left. You need to be on your best._

It caused Jane to giggle. She could almost hear Maura's strict voice saying the words. Then her eyes found the previous words and everything melted in her head. They had a date.

 _Okay, I will. Good night, doc…_

 _Good night, Jane._


	28. Chapter 28

**AN:** Finally... I could finally read your reviews from the last week! Just want to say: I really, really appreciate you guys following this. I honestly had not expected many people to be interested in this because of the hockey theme. You proved me wrong.  
Also, thank you for all your kind words, both here, in pm's and on tumblr.  
Just to calm a few heads out there: the story will be done. It IS actually done. I literally have just the last ten lines left, it's just really difficult to figure out what words to end this whole monster with. So you can expect 35 chapters of this. Still a few left in other words.

As for the rating. I know I said maybe it would be M later on. It won't, because of one reason: there is only one scene I felt that would perhaps fall into that rating, and I didn't see a reason to change it just for that.  
So... consider this your warning: This chapter might be a bit hotter than the rest...

(I do not feel comfortable, like or want to write M rated. I feel it is out of my comfort zone and really difficult to master. Please respect that and refrain from asking/hinting etc.)

* * *

Danielle could tell right away that something was going on when she met Jane that Saturday. Jane was practically beaming, not what Danielle had expected of her friend so close to the end of the season. "You look like you just got laid" she snickered.

Jane grinned as she looked through the windows of the stores at the mall. "Why do you sound so surprised?" She kept moving when Danielle stopped.

"What does that mean? Don't tell me something happened on the road?!"

"Uh… okay, I won't."

Danielle jogged to catch up with Jane and grabbed her arm to get her to stop. She eyed her friend for any kind of clue. "Did something happen on the road trip?" When she got nothing but a grin from Jane, she pushed her backwards so they weren't surrounded by people walking past them. "What happened!?" Her eyes were big as she stared at Jane.

"I scored" Jane said with a sly grin and eyes locked on her friend. She knew Danielle would interpret it the wrong way.

"What!? You did?"

Jane nodded and put her hands in her pockets. "Yeah, three times. Didn't you watch the game yesterday?" she asked perfectly normal.

The look on Danielle's face went from confusion to anger and then frustration. "Oh you piece of shit! You had me believing something had happened with Maura!" She released Jane's arm and started to walk.

Jane laughed as she too started walking. "I know! Which is why it was so funny!" She only got a glare back. "Okay, are you disappointed now?"

"What do you think?" Danielle mumbled back.

"I'm sorry" Jane still laughed. "I just couldn't resist. So you might punish me now by stopping by all the shoe shops you can find.

Danielle was already steering them towards the first. "Yeah, you bet!"

After a couple of hours of shoe shopping, even Danielle was starting to get fed up and they retreated to a café for lunch. As soon as they had ordered and received their coffees, Danielle leaned her elbows on the table and looked at Jane. "Okay, I gotta ask you something."

"Shoot" Jane replied and warmed her hands on the cup.

"Remember that seminar earlier this year when I ran into Maura?"

"Sure."

"Good. We talked a bit the second day she was there, and she offered to help if I needed anything, you know, with my studies."

Jane slowly looked up from her coffee, alarms going off in her head. "Don't say it's an internship!"

Danielle laughed and shook her head. "No, I don't have any internships until the summer. And I'm not sure she would qualify to be my instructor anyways, she's not a physical therapist."

"Knowing her, she'd find a way to qualify…" Jane mumbled and had to fight to keep herself from smiling.

"Relax, Jane, I'm not gonna shadow you and Maura!" Danielle smiled. "But I was gonna ask you if you'd be okay if I took her up on her offer? I've got a paper on sports injuries due in May and she could be really useful since she actually works with that."

"You're really asking for my permission?"

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. It sounds crazy… but apparently, I'm a bit careful when it comes to your hot doctor."

"Have you asked her?"

"No, not yet. I didn't want to ask her and then go 'good, let me just check with my friend who has the biggest crush on you if it's okay'!"

Jane shook her head in frustration and took a slow sip of her coffee. "As long as I don't have to be a part of it then knock yourself out."

"Crap" Danielle smiled. "I was hoping you'd volunteer to be the one she would demonstrate all kinds of techniques on."

"You should go easy on the mocking today, cause I might have some news you _really_ want to hear" Jane teased and leaned back in her chair. "But I'm not so sure I wanna tell you right now…"

The effect was immediate, and Danielle held up her hands. "Okay, I take it back! Tell me!"

Jane ignored her. "So, do you need anyone to interview for your paper? Cause I can probably convince some of the girls…"

"Jane…"

"Maybe Jessie? That was a pretty serious injury and she's recovering right now."

"Jane!" Danielle was staring at Jane across the table, trying to be threatening or pleading, whatever worked.

"Alright!" Jane laughed. She took a second to breathe before she leaned forward and folded her hands on the table. "I may have a date…"

"Who?" Danielle blurted out.

"Who do you think?" Jane sighed.

"But how?"

Jane wondered if she should tell her friend everything, including the touch-comment that still made her head spin, but decided in the end to keep something to herself. She didn't even want to mention the stuff that was said before and after the game. "Okay, so I was home around midnight last night, and of course I couldn't go to sleep right away. And just over 1, I get a text." Jane suddenly stopped and stared down at the table. "Shit, it's not gonna make any sense" she mumbled.

"What?" Danielle whined and tried to make Jane look at her again. "I'm about to beat it out of you now!"

"I know" Jane smiled before reaching for her phone in her pocket. "But I wanted to leave out a few details, but realized it would not be as interesting." She unlocked the screen and quickly found the texts from Maura. "So you might as well read them…"

Danielle carefully accepted the phone while looking at Jane. "I hope this is PG-rated…?"

"Of course!" Jane laughed.

"Alright, just making sure" Danielle smiled before she turned her eyes to the screen. It didn't take long before she looked up again. "What did you say to her after the game?"

"Oh, yeah… Before the game she tried to wish me good luck by saying 'make me proud'."

"Really?" Danielle chuckled but silenced from the glare.

"Well, it worked! So I may have… dedicated those goals to her after the game…" Jane knew something teasing was about to be said. "Don't bother say it" she warned. "Just keep reading."

Watching Danielle's face as she read was like reliving the night before for Jane. It started off with just a simple smile, then a sly grin, a nod, a frown or two before a huge smile.

"Holy crap…" Danielle breathed out and put down the phone. "She actually invited you over for dinner. You really do have a date with her!"

Jane placed her phone back in her pocket and nodded before she laughed nervously. It was still a bit surreal. They both pushed their coffees aside when a waiter came over with their food.

"I know you probably don't like it, but waiting until the offseason might not be such a bad idea" Danielle said as she started to remove the onions in her salad. "I know you've been dying to be alone with her, but she had some really good points."

"Yeah, I'm aware. I'm actually glad it turned out that way" Jane nodded as she speared a piece of chicken with her fork before holding it up and grinning. "Four months with no hockey has never looked better!"

* * *

It was a long drive to the rink on Monday morning. Maybe not in distance, but it felt like it took forever to get there. Jane was a roller coaster all the way, anxious to get there, thrilled to be going back to the rink, nervous as hell about being in the same building as Maura again, and doubt about her own hands and if they would listen to her brain and not touch if given the chance. Even though she had vented a lot to Danielle, she still wasn't prepared.

After finally arriving at the rink and getting safely inside the locker room, Jane allowed herself to breathe. The girls were chatting while they changed, mostly about the offseason and if they were going away on vacation and if so, where. Jane let them talk and focused on herself. All sorts of 'what ifs' popped up in her head as she changed. What if she didn't tie her skates properly and somehow got hurt during practice? What if she tripped over a stick, or got hit by the puck? Wouldn't it be so ironic if she would be sent to the doctor's office?

So Jane made sure everything was perfect before she left the locker room. Of course, she couldn't control flying pucks, but she could at least make sure she wouldn't trip over her own laces. Again. The next test came as she left the locker room and turned down the hall towards the ice. She had to pass Maura's office but luckily the door was closed, and Jane wouldn't be able to look in as she walked by. Maybe it was for the best anyway.

Just as she stepped on the ice, she caught a glimpse of something red on the far side of the bench, and she had to stop and look over her shoulder once she was on the ice. At the end of the bench was Maura, with her laptop on her lap and typing away. It didn't even seem like she had seen Jane. After doing a few rounds out on the ice, keeping an eye on Maura the whole time, Jane finally gave up and skated over to her. Water bottles were lined up on the board, with numbers on them, and Jane pretended to be looking for hers. She started at Maura's end, but still no attention from the doctor. "Morning, doc" Jane said and tore her eyes away from Maura, trying to be casual about it all.

Maura smiled even before she looked up. "Good morning, Jane. How was your weekend? Did you get some rest after the trip?"

Jane nodded before she turned her eyes back on Maura. "I did. Had a pretty nice and calm weekend. How about you?"

"Oh, just about the same. It was good to come home and know all the travelling is over for a while."

"Yeah, we travel way too much…" Jane closed her eyes for a moment. Everything sounded so fake, so… scripted and she just wanted to laugh. Her eyes met Maura's again and no words were needed to know what the other was thinking. A heap of words went through her head with lightning speed and made Jane want to jump over the board, pick Maura up in her arms and walk away from everything. Just the two of them, alone, with no one else around. Maura closed her laptop and put it aside, still not breaking eye contact, and Jane realized she was staring. She quickly looked down at the water bottles and sighed while she reached for hers. In a clumsy move, she managed to knock down two other bottles with her glove, one which rolled away along the bench. "Shit…" she mumbled.

Maura smiled as she got up and recovered the bottles before putting them back down with the others. She stood right in front of Jane and looked at her. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Jane nodded slowly as she watched the doctor's lips move. "I'm fine…" She looked up when Maura lowered her head a bit to make eye contact. "Just clumsy" Jane smiled. A sharp whistle caused them both to jump, and Jane looked over to the mid circle where coach Landers had arrived. "Guess that's my call" Jane sighed and took a quick sip of her water. She threw one final look at Maura's smile before she carefully put the bottle down and skated off.

* * *

Jane arrived at the rink early the next day for their game against Texas. After Maine had won their game the night before, the Devils were officially out of the playoff race, and Jane knew it would affect their game and mentality. They no longer had anything to play for except to finish off the season. But Texas and San Francisco were two strong teams, and it would require 100% focus from all the girls to have a chance. Jane was already having trouble focusing on everyday things and was fully aware that she would struggle in the last games. Maura was constantly on her mind, whatever she was doing. She counted days, hours, until the season was officially over, and she could finally stop holding back. Every single moment in the same room as Maura was painful. All she wanted to do was reach out and touch, or say all the things she had denied herself for so long. She just needed these days to pass so she was finally allowed to act on all those intense looks.

When she thought about it, going in earlier than necessary was probably not a good idea after all. It just increased the risk of running into the doctor, or find herself alone with her somewhere inside the huge building. Jane stared out on the ice and sighed. She had already prepped her skates and sticks for the game, and took a moment to enjoy the quiet by the ice. She wasn't really alone as several of the crew was working up in the stands and around the ice, making sure everything was perfect for the game.

After a few minutes, Jane turned around and walked away from the ice. She went through the tunnel trying to go over the things coach Landers had told them about Texas the day before. She was barely out of the tunnel and approached the corner when she crashed into someone and she automatically reached out to make sure the other person didn't fall. "Sorry!" she mumbled before she got a clear look of the woman in front of her.

Maura looked just as surprised and didn't move. Hands were lazily resting on Jane's forearms. "I apologize… I didn't see you."

It was exactly what Jane didn't need. They were way too close for way too long. Jane still had one hand on Maura's elbow and the other dangerously close to a hip. She could almost feel how her hand formed against Maura's curves and she tensed. Maura was looking up at her, flicking between her eyes and lips. Jane lowered her head. "This is too damn difficult" she whispered and let out a deep sigh. Perfectly aware that someone could see them, she wanted to move away, wanted to remove her hands and push Maura away from her.

"I know" Maura whispered back and removed every ounce of will that Jane might have had left in her body.

Jane swore she could see Maura leaning in when she was abruptly pushed away. Hands disappeared and curves and warm skin vanished underneath her fingers, and she was suddenly alone. She leaned her back against the wall and closed her eyes. Just two days and approximately six hours until the last game of the season was over. 54 hours. She could do that…

In the middle of all her thoughts and confusion, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She reached for it and turned on the screen. A new text from a number she still hadn't saved, but already knew by heart. Three words. _My office. Now._ Jane swallowed and looked up. She didn't even have time to think before a magnetic pull made her feet move. She was outside the doctor's office before she knew it, and stepped inside. She had to have read all of this the right way, or she'd make a huge fool of herself and a new mess. Maura stood in front of her desk with her phone still in her hands and looked up as Jane shut the door a bit too violently. Two strides and Jane found herself in front of the doctor and stopped. Despite Maura's parted lips and heavy breaths, Jane hesitated.

Maura slowly put down her phone without taking her eyes off of Jane. "I don't think I can wait any longer" she whispered and struggled to get out the words.

It was like Maura had reached out and removed that one cornerstone that kept Jane together. She felt all her feelings and emotions seep out into every cell of her body. Jane took that last step and in a split second everything fell into place. Her lips found Maura's, her hands sunk into blonde curls and bodies crashed against each other. It had been too long because the lips were nothing like Jane remembered. They were definitely softer and sweeter, moving smoothly against hers now.

"You make me crazy!" Jane could barely understand her own rushed words, her lips never leaving Maura's lips, not at all ready to let go even for a second. She moaned when Maura's tongue met hers, and she slipped her hands down to Maura's hips to push her towards the wall. A small whimper escaped Maura's mouth and Jane barely pulled back to look at the woman in her arms. "Tell me to stop" she murmured, trying to keep a part of her sane.

Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's neck and pulled her firmly back towards her lips. "No."

Jane lost all control over herself and slipped the jacket off Maura's shoulders. It pooled around their feet as Jane left kisses down a delicate neck. Maura gasped from the occasionally and slightly unintentionally brushes of Jane's hands against her breasts when Jane started unbuttoning the shirt. But even a simple task like that was too much for Jane. "Fuck it" she grunted and ripped the shirt open.

Maura didn't seem to care, she helped shaking the shirt off her shoulders, tossing it somewhere in the room, and let Jane focus on exploring newly found skin as the heated kisses continued. She had never felt so ready to explode, months of longing and wanting boiled to the surface with every touch.

With no time to lose, Jane pulled down Maura's bra, instantly cupping the naked breasts in her hands and felt her own body tremble as she ghosted over straining nipples with her thumbs.

"Oh god" Maura moaned and pressed against Jane's hands.

"You don't know how many times I've dreamt about this." Jane left a wet trail of kisses on Maura's neck, gently biting down where shoulder and neck met. "I've wondered how it feels to touch you." A muffled cry pushed her on, a hand dropped down between them. "What it's like to feel you, and hear you." Fingers slipped between skin and cloth until covered in slick and wet want, quickly setting a pace that filled the room with ragged breathing.

Fingernails were digging into her back, and Jane knew it wouldn't take much. For each flick of her finger, Maura moaned into her ear. Jane was high on the sounds and movements she caused, intoxicated by the way Maura moved against her.

"Please, don't stop, don't stop."

Jane placed a fierce kiss underneath Maura's ear. "I won't" she whispered. "I don't ever wanna stop." Fingernails dug deeper into her back and Jane claimed Maura's lips again in a hot and frantic kiss. She completely ignored the burning in her arm when Maura threw her head back and moaned loudly. Jane was transfixed by the woman in her arms and buried her face in the crook of her neck, shivering when her name spilled from Maura's lips. She felt how Maura's body tensed against her, going completely still before she trembled violently. Hands released their grip and Maura lowered her head to Jane's shoulder, breathing heavily as her body went limp.

Jane quickly wrapped her arms around Maura's waist and let the doctor lean on her while catching her breath. She closed her eyes, torn between grinning like a fool and letting her lips slide up along the length of Maura's neck. She settled for something in between and buried her face in Maura's hair, inhaling the scent of the shampoo that had made her delirious so many times.

Within minutes, Maura's breath had evened out and she slowly lifted her head. Their eyes met and Maura moved her hands to the sides of Jane's neck, letting her thumbs softly stroke along the jaw before she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Jane's lips.

Jane barely managed to reciprocate, her mouth having gone completely dry. "I…"

A knock on the door cut her off and she felt how they both tensed. "Doctor Isles?" Chris' voice sounded from the hall.

"I'm busy at the moment" Maura replied quickly to stop him from entering. She sounded almost frantic, and it made Jane smile.

"Can you come see me in my office when you get a chance then? It's urgent."

"Yes, of course."

Maura never looked away from Jane's eyes while they heard the footsteps disappearing down the hall, and none of them relaxed until it was completely silent around them. "We're at work" Maura sighed softly.

"Yeah… I know" Jane replied and nodded. She had no idea what they were talking about. All she could think about was how one of her hands seemed to fit so perfectly against the low of Maura's back.

"I should probably go see him" Maura mumbled and removed her hands. She took a step to the left to move around Jane, but Jane grabbed her hips.

"Wait…" she ordered and pushed Maura back against the wall. She let her eyes trail over the heaving chest in front of her before she captured soft lips in a slow kiss. "Please come over later. I don't wanna wait."

Maura smiled and sighed like she was about to crush all of Jane's hopes and dreams. "We have a game tonight" she whispered.

Jane groaned and shook her head. "Of course we do."

"We'll figure something out" Maura offered and slowly extracted herself from Jane's grip. "Right now I should really go see what Chris wanted."

Jane turned around as Maura stepped away and at the same time pulling her bra up and in place again. Jane's eyes roamed over the naked back as Maura found her shirt hanging on the edge of the bench.

"Oh…" Maura exclaimed as she held up her shirt, several buttons missing. "This won't work."

Jane laughed shyly before she cleared her throat. "Sorry about that…"

Maura slowly turned around for Jane to see the grin on her face. "I'm not." She put the shirt back down before she walked over to her cabinets. "I suppose it's a good thing I have a suture kit nearby."

It was all too surreal and Jane ran her hands over her face before she took a few steps closer to the doctor. "I…" She stopped herself when Maura returned to her ruined shirt. That naked back was in reach and Jane had to fight hard to keep her hands to herself. "I should probably go" she rushed and moved herself further from the doctor. "Or I'll just… touch you… and… you will never make it out of here."

Maura looked over her shoulder as Jane bumped into the door and cursed. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Maura looked away. "I will see you at the game later."

Jane nodded quickly before she opened the door, backed out of the room and closed the door. Once out in the hall, she looked to both sides before she fell back against the wall and released a deep sigh. So she had obviously not been the only one with a shaking self-control the last couple of days. For no reason, she started to giggle, silently, while keeping an eye on both ends of the hall so no one would catch her and start asking questions. She had never thought Maura would be the one to break. That woman was the definition of composure and self-control, at least it was the impression everyone had of her. Including Jane.

She was harshly pulled out of her thoughts and giggles when the door in front of her flew open and Maura stepped out. They both looked confused and surprised. Jane noticed right away the different shirt Maura was wearing, and she bit her lip to avoid grinning. "No suture kit?" she whispered.

Maura closed the door behind her while looking at Jane with a small smile on her lips. "It would take too long. And I always carry an extra shift on game days."

Jane couldn't stop the grin any longer. "Good to know."

It seemed like the doctor tried to gain that professional composure she was known for, but the playful look in her eyes gave her away. "Don't you have something to do?" Maura whispered back and also keeping an eye on the hallway when her eyes didn't linger on Jane.

"Yeah… I think so" Jane mumbled and pushed herself away from the wall. Coincidentally, they both took a step in the same direction, and Maura smiled. Jane slowly shook her head and didn't even dare to glance at the woman beside her. "I think I'm gonna go the other way" she smirked and turned on her heel with no idea at all where she was heading. It was gonna be a long day.


	29. Chapter 29

Jane wasn't home until just after 9 that night after dinner with her mother and Vince at the Robber. The day had been way too long and much too eventful, and she stretched out on her couch right away, feeling both beat and frustrated. All the thoughts were overwhelming her and she wanted to call Danielle and vent, but there was no way she was gonna tell anyone about anything right now. They had lost the game, that was not a surprise, and Jane was shocked she managed to actually score a goal. After the enormous distraction before the game, Jane had been completely out of it. She couldn't look directly at Maura whenever she was in sight, she spaced out when coach Landers gave his final pep talk, and she had to constantly move or she would stare at something and drift off.

As soon as the game was over, she had rushed into the locker room and started to change right away. She just had to get away from the rest of the team, and find Maura. Maybe it had been presumptuous and arrogant of her to think Maura was waiting for her, but she had had no strength at all to care. The disappointment was therefore huge when she found out Maura had already left before Jane had finished changing.

So Jane stared up at the ceiling, with her arms over her head and tried not to relive all the details from the day. She more than once thought about calling Maura, but rejected the thought every time, feeling too scared that she was clingy or worrying about nothing. Maura had left without a word, and perhaps there was a reason for it?

After twenty minutes of staring, a knock on her door brought her back to reality and she slowly got up. She was almost certain it was her mother or Danielle and tore the door open only to see Maura out in the hall, hands safely tucked in the pockets of her long, white coat. Jane swallowed and just stared straight at her.

"So… I thought it would be best if I went home as soon as possible after the game. Make dinner, take a bath and maybe start a new book, have a quiet night. After all, I was the one who wanted to wait, not let work get in the way. We both know how that turned out today. And now I'm here and I have obviously caved again. Can I come in?"

Jane quickly moved aside and nodded. "Of course…"

Maura stepped inside, still with her hands in her coat pockets.

"Sorry about the mess" Jane sighed and closed the door. She rubbed her face to try to look somewhat normal before turning around. Maura was already looking at her.

"You look tired."

Jane chuckled and nodded. "I am. That game completely drained me… I think I've used muscles I didn't even know I had." She wanted to hit herself, smash her head into the wall or something. Maura freaking Isles was in her apartment, and Jane went on about how tired she was? Not exactly the best way to go.

But Maura seemed unaffected about it all. "You could use a hot bath" she suggested with a simple smile.

"I don't have a bath tub" Jane replied and wasn't quite sure what was going on. She only knew Maura was an expert at confusing her when she thought she had it all figured out. Hadn't her little intro speech sounded like she was there for one particular reason or had Jane just heard what she wanted to hear?

"Then perhaps a massage." Maura unbuttoned her coat and placed it over the back of the couch before she turned back to Jane, a twinkle in her eye. "And I happen to know a thing or two about sore muscles."

Jane was paralyzed and just stared at Maura. She was pretty sure Maura was there for a reason, and that reason was not Jane's sore muscles. "You're not here to play doctor." Unable to decide if it was a question or a statement before she spoke, it came out as both. Then she saw the smile and the raised eyebrows and Jane had to repeat the words in her head. Jane chuckled before she ran a hand over her face. She didn't know what to say and just shook her head.

Maura stepped over to Jane, still with a huge smile on her face and a playful look in her eyes. She placed her hands on Jane's hips and looked up. "Actually, you are both right and wrong at the same time."

It felt like her skin was burning under Maura's touch, and Jane felt herself lean forward to try to get rid of the distance between them. When that didn't work, she took half a step forward and finally felt Maura's body against hers. Noses brushed and breaths tangled as their eyes locked.

Maura swallowed. "But the main reason why I'm here…" She was whispering and wrapped her arms tightly around Jane's waist. "It's where you are."

Jane couldn't wait any longer and pressed her lips against Maura's. Her hands raced to the doctor's neck in hopes of somehow get them closer. She needed more of the woman in front of her, more of everything and everything closer. And yet she only wanted to hold on to the moment, feel the lips against her own and the warm, irresistible body pressing towards hers. There were no voices around that threatened to pull them apart, no sound that could ruin the mood. Jane slowly let go of Maura's lips, without pulling back. "We're alone" she whispered, almost unable to hear herself. Tiny shivers went through her whole body as their lips brushed while she spoke. "There's no one here." Her hands stroke down Maura's shoulders and arms until they rested by the elbows.

"I know" Maura nodded shortly. Fingertips travelled over a hip and up a firm body until they rested above a heart that seemed to be racing. She smiled from the feeling against her fingers as she planted tiny kisses along Jane's chin. "Please take me to bed."

After Jane managed to calm her breathing enough to smile, she nodded. "Anything you say." Without hesitating, she wrapped her arms around the doctor's hips and lifted her.

"Jane!" Maura squealed and wrapped her legs around Jane's waist and arms around her neck. "Be careful!"

"Relax" Jane grinned and tightened her grip. "I'm not gonna drop you." She turned and headed for her bedroom, trying not to crash into walls or trip over shoes she was certain were scattered in front of her.

"I'm not worried about me, I just don't want you to hurt yourself. What would you tell the team if you missed out on the last game?" Maura teased.

Jane kicked open the door to her bedroom. "I'd tell them the truth, that I hurt myself while carrying the sexiest woman on earth to my bed. I think they'd forgive me." She carefully lowered a giggling Maura down on her bed, and hovered over her. "But I do have a pretty strong body. And you, of all people, should know that… _doctor_ " she smirked.

Maura watched as her own hands slid down Jane's arms, biting her lip but still not able to hold back a sly grin. "Oh, I do know" she mumbled before looking back up at Jane. "However, I believe there is still a lot of undiscovered area…"

The smile that radiated towards her forced Jane to take a deep breath. It was one hell of a mystery how she had managed to wait so long to see that smile and those eyes looking up at her like that. She leaned down but stopped just before their lips touched. "Then I surrender to your touch…"

* * *

Jane woke up the next morning with her face buried between the two pillows, her legs wrapped up in the sheets and arms spread out on each side. It wasn't really uncommon for her to wake up like that, but that day it was her senses that told her something was different. First of all, she was naked. Definitely not her style. The second thing she noticed before even opening her eyes properly, was the faint scent of perfume around her. Everything smelt different, good different, and it didn't take long before mental pictures of a certain doctor, naked and moaning in her bed, came to life. Jane grinned before she cracked open an eye and stared at the empty pillow next to her. She ran her hand over the cold mattress before she sighed.

"Looking for someone?"

The voice coming from the doorway woke her up. Jane rolled over on her back and immediately smiled as she saw Maura standing there with a cup in her hands. "Thank God you're still here" Jane mumbled with a stupid grin on her face.

Maura smiled while she walked over to her side of the bed. "Did you think I would leave without a word?" She sat down on the bed.

"No… Not unless you regretted everything."

"I certainly do not regret anything. I just needed a cup of coffee, hope you don't mind me snooping in your kitchen." Maura looked down at the cup in her hand.

"No, not at all" Jane smiled, in a bliss that Maura was still there, or actually that she was there at all.

"I have to admit I was a bit disappointed by the lack of real coffee in your cabinets, not even a coffee maker?"

Jane laughed as she saw the slightly horrified look on Maura's face. "What? Instant isn't good enough for you?" she teased.

Maura took a slow sip, clearly stalling and placed the cup on the nightstand. "Well" she started and licked her lips. "When you've had a taste of something exquisite, you want more." She looked down at Jane and let her eyes trail over the covered body before she returned to Jane's face, with a look in her eyes that wasn't hard to read.

"Oh, nice answer" Jane chuckled. She stretched out her arm and found a thigh that was not as smooth and soft as she was expecting. "Why are you wearing clothes?" she asked dumbly.

Maura laughed before she covered Jane's hand with her own. "Because I don't think it would be appropriate for me to walk outside naked" she winked.

"Maybe not appropriate, but it would definitely be popular… Wait, are you leaving?"

"I have to" Maura nodded. "I need to go home and shower and get ready for work."

Jane tugged at the hand. "No… you need to get back into bed with me. Work can wait" she argued.

Maura wouldn't give in as Jane tried to gently urge her back into bed.

"Come on…" Jane pleaded and tried to give her best smile. "Get back into bed for another 40 minutes, you can shower here and you'll still make it in time for work."

But Maura just raised an eyebrow.

After Jane had thought about it, she nodded. "Okay, yeah, you and my shower… that would just… nope… bad idea!" Maura laughed as Jane furiously shook her head. "Twenty minutes here with me, you go home to shower and be just a little bit late for work?" Jane tried again.

"Ten minutes" Maura countered.

"Deal!" Jane grinned victoriously and kept pulling at Maura's hand.

Maura finally gave in and crawled back into bed and was quickly wrapped up in Jane's arms. "You are very hard to resist, Rizzoli."

"I'm glad you think so" Jane replied and was immediately leaving kisses on Maura's neck. "Cause I'm naked, you're overdressed and we only have ten minutes…"

* * *

Danielle  
 _How are you holding up?_

Jane  
 _Well, I'm still alive and I haven't slammed my head into the wall, so… decent enough?_

Danielle  
 _I'd say that is pretty impressive… so how do you guys act around each other? Is it weird?_

Jane  
 _It's… distracting. I can't focus if she's there. This last game can't come soon enough!_

Danielle  
 _Have you talked about it at all? Or is it just "stare at each other and hope the other won't mention anything"?_

Jane  
 _I'm not sure I would survive if she actually talked about it… so I'm fine about the whole "be professional at work" thing. Although I suck at it…_

Danielle  
 _I can picture it now. The game ends tomorrow and you throw everything away, gloves, stick, skates, and grab her hand and skip happily ever after into the sunset. Or something else which I'm not gonna mention because I imagine your brain is already there and you don't need me to remind you of what's waiting for you…_

Jane  
 _Ha ha… remind me again why I told you about it? And why we're friends? Why I'm even bothering to talk to you this week?_

Danielle  
 _Because you have always been my sole provider of reality shows. I don't need Hollywood when I have you!_

Jane  
 _I don't get paid enough for that._

Danielle  
 _Oh don't you dare! I know exactly how much you make as a Devil, you have no right to complain! In fact, you should spend some of that money on your good friend who is always there for you!_

Jane  
 _I'm laughing like crazy right now and repeating those last few words…_

Danielle  
 _And especially since I will probably have to find a new friend this summer since you'll be too high to even remember me.  
_ _I know you are laughing! Just another reason why you should throw some cash my way._

Jane  
 _Aren't you working this summer? So date or no date, you wouldn't have had the time for me anyway._

Danielle  
 _We are way off topic right now. Speaking of working… I asked your date if she still wanted to help me, just so you know. She said we could meet on Sunday, so… sorry, guess you don't have a date on Sunday!_

Jane  
 _First you want me to hook up with this woman, then you crash my date… thanks!_

Danielle  
 _Haha! Well, believe me, I have no wish to crash your date. I don't need that part of your reality show please…_

Jane  
 _Ass… oops, sorry, that was a spoiler! :P  
_ _Anyway, I need to go. Meeting about to start._

Danielle  
 _I don't think I want to see next episode. So thanks for the spoiler!  
_ _Sure, I'll try to catch you at the game tomorrow before you go on your honeymoon._

Jane smiled as she put her phone back in her pocket and entered the meeting room for the usual review of their last game and preparing for the next. She tried to ignore the fact that she had flat out lied to Danielle about everything, and told herself Danielle would understand why she did it.

Like all meetings before, Jane headed to the last row of chairs and tables where Nicole and Heather was already waiting. As Jane sat down between the two of them, she saw Maura sitting in the corner to the right, and Jane burst out into a huge smile for a second before she managed to restrain herself. She hadn't seen Maura since a heated kiss goodbye earlier that morning when the doctor had left her apartment, just ten minutes later than planned. While she stared down at the table, Jane felt Nicole and Heather both lean towards her, practically surrounding her. She looked at them both. "What?" she asked.

"We're just curious" Heather whispered and leaned even closer. "Yeah, we know you told us to ignore it, but... still no answer?"

Jane quickly looked away and tried not to smile. "Not yet" she whispered back and had to gather strength to pretend. "It's okay, I'm not gonna rush it... and maybe she wants to wait until the season is over. I don't know." She had to stop herself from rambling. If she did, she would only have more lies to remember.

Heather nodded slowly. "Maybe that's a good idea" she mumbled only to be interrupted by coach Landers who entered the room.

Jane sighed silently, thankful that she was almost late to the meeting. She focused on him as he started to talk, and Heather and Nicole slowly retreated.

She hated these meetings, even though it was useful. They would go over their latest game and discuss how they played. What was good, what was not and needed improvement. The test for Jane was how long it always took. She would much rather be out on the ice and improve her game than sit on a chair for over an hour and stare at a screen. And that day was worse since they were going to go through videos of their next opponent as well. So when the computer crashed and only gave them a black screen, Jane was relieved. Coach Landers did what he could, but had to ask for help from one of the girls who was much better with computers than him. The room filled with light chatter within a second, and Jane leaned back in her chair and rolled her head from side to side. "God, I hate this..." she growled.

"We know" Nicole smiled to her left. "You say the same thing every single time. We can't improve our game if we can't practice it on the ice!" She tried to sound like Jane and lowered her voice to a dark murmur.

Jane slowly turned to her while Heather laughed. "I don't sound like that!" Jane complained. "And it's true! We can't practice in here!"

"You said it yourself when you were injured; it's easier to see our mistakes from the sideline" Heather teased. "And you were right."

Jane scoffed as she stretched her arms in front of her. "Shut up..." A pair of hands on her shoulders caused her to freeze in her seat.

"For professional athletes like you girls are, you have really bad postures. You are supposed to sit up straight in a chair."

Nicole snickered as Jane leaned her head back and saw Maura standing behind her. The hands were soft against her shoulders, and Jane swallowed as she slowly sat up. "Sorry, doc" she smiled.

"No need to apologize to me, Jane. It is your spine that suffers." There was definitely mocking behind the words and Maura started to massage Jane's shoulders. "Now, relax."

Jane was sure she could melt on the spot if Maura had told her to, and closed her eyes. She couldn't help the smile on her face when she realized Maura wasn't really massaging her, but simply touching her instead. The touches were light and moved to her neck where skin met skin, and Jane's head quickly filled with all sorts of memories of skin on skin from the day before, the night, that same morning. She was sure she was turning red and wondered for a moment if Maura could feel the heat from her skin. She took a deep breath and smiled before she opened her eyes again.

"Way to steal my spa days" Heather remarked and caused Jane to laugh.

"It's about time the star gets some recognition. You wouldn't have been so high in the standings if it wasn't for my 30 goals" Jane smirked. She barely turned her head a little to catch Heather's eye roll before a pair of fingers pinched her in the neck and she twitched. "Ouch... doc, did you just pinch me?" she chuckled. She could feel Heather and Nicole staring at her.

"Perhaps" Maura replied. "If I did, it was because you deserved it for that comment."

Fingers slowly smoothed over the sore spot on her neck, and Jane knew Maura was smiling behind her. "But it's true" she defended herself.

"But you sound much too arrogant with the way you say it" Maura shot back.

"Finally someone else have the guts to say it out loud" Nicole laughed and nudged Jane's arm.

"Traitor" Jane mumbled, not really sure who she was directing it to.

Coach Landers finally got the computer up and running and things were quickly back on track. Jane sighed when she felt Maura's hands come to a stop on her neck. While coach Landers started talking again and everyone else trying to focus on him, Maura rested her hands on Jane's shoulders and leaned down to whisper.

"I really can't stay away from you…"

Jane let herself grin as she threw quick glances around them to see if anyone had heard anything, not that it was possible since she had barely heard it herself. As Maura's hands disappeared, Jane forced her eyes to the screen and tried not to let the stupid grin on her face have too much control.

The meeting was followed with a huge lunch for everyone, and Jane had a really good time with Heather, Nicole and a bunch of the other girls. They stayed behind after everyone else was done, and Jane was finally starting to feel that she would miss these girls during the summer. She knew she would meet Heather and Nicole in their time off, but to not see the others were surprisingly sad. No more laughter and teasing in the locker room, or dancing and high fiving after a win. Even though she was finishing up her third season and had been through it before, Jane couldn't help but feel worse about it this time. Which wasn't really that surprising considering the year before where everything fell apart with Sarah. Only now Jane had something to look forward to.

After finally wrapping up lunch, Nicole and Jane headed to the locker room for their stuff while Heather had been obtained. They had put on their jackets and were all ready to leave when Heather came back and caught Jane's eyes. "I think I need to tell you something I overheard" she said and grabbed her own jacket.

Nicole got curious and went over to them, while Jane got nervous. "What?" she asked with all sorts of situations running through her head.

Heather was always a poker face and Jane had never had any luck trying to read facial expressions on her captain, so she had given up a long time ago. Heather took a step closer to Jane. "I just heard snippets of a conversation" she warned. "But from what I heard, Michigan asked to loan Dr. Isles in the playoffs. Apparently theirs got injured or something."

"What?" Jane repeated, a bit more frantic this time.

"I don't know for sure, I just heard Chris tell coach about it."

"So Maura wasn't even there?" Jane felt her pulse starting to race, and when Heather shook her head, Jane didn't care how it looked. "I gotta find her…" She pushed her way past her friends and marched out of the locker room and down the hall. Outside the door, she stopped and gently knocked.

"Come in."

Jane opened the door and looked inside. When she saw the doctor was all alone, she stepped inside and closed the door. "Hey, do you have a minute?"

Maura nodded from her chair behind the desk. "Of course."

"Good." Jane quickly made her way over to the desk while wondering how to approach the subject, but as she stood there and looked down at Maura, the answer was pretty obvious. "You can't go. I know it's probably something you feel you should, or maybe you're just nice enough to say yes, but you can't. Cause I can't wait a second longer than I have to."

"Jane… what are you talking about?" Maura put down her pen and stood up, all along with her eyes on Jane.

"Michigan. Did Chris ask you about it?"

Maura hesitated a few seconds before she nodded. "Yes, he did, not too long ago. How did you know?"

"It doesn't matter" Jane shook her head as she stepped closer to Maura and grabbed her hands. "You can't go. If they make it to the finals, that means you're gonna be gone for two months! And even if they lose in the first round, it still means at least a week. I can't be away from you for that long! Hell, I can barely survive a few hours!" She squeezed the hands just to prove her point. "So they will have to find their doctor somewhere else, cause I need you here. And I know I have no right to tell you what to do, so if you go… then I will go with you. I don't care if they meet Denver, I'm going with you. I've waited too damn long to be with you…" Jane breathed out and saw how Maura's lips turned into a tiny smile.

"Are you done?" Maura asked.

"Probably" Jane mumbled and wondered if she had said way too much.

"Okay. Then you can relax, because I am not going anywhere. Chris asked me, but I told him I didn't want to, that I had other commitments here in Boston."

"Oh…" Thumbs stroke over the back of her hands, and Jane looked down. "Then my whole speech was kinda wasted…"

Maura let out a sweet laugh. "No, it was interesting. Would you really have gone to Denver just to be with me?"

"Of course" Jane smiled and planted a soft kiss on Maura's forehead. "I struggled like crazy to let you go this morning, you really think I would stay behind in Boston while you went on a two-month road trip?" She decided to stay close to Maura's skin where it smelled so sweet and familiar.

"I had a feeling you would object to it if I said yes to go, so hearing you say all this is comforting. It means I made the right decision."

"Good" Jane mumbled and kept leaving tiny kisses on Maura's skin. She moved slowly down from the forehead to the cheek.

"Jane…?" Maura's eyes closed.

"Yeah?" Jane knew what was coming, but it couldn't stop her from trying to move her lips over the cheek and towards the corner of a mouth that seemed to meet her halfway.

Maura took a deep breath and moved away from Jane's lips at the last second. "We're at work" she sighed and opened her eyes. "We shouldn't…"

Jane nodded while she exhaled loudly. "Okay, yeah, you're right." She took a small step backwards to restrain herself. "I should probably go then, but not until I know when I will see you again." She felt like such a teenager, it was almost stupid if it hadn't been for the amazing feeling.

"My place later today?" Maura suggested and started walking towards the door, pulling Jane with her. "I can make dinner. It shouldn't take too long before I am finished here."

"Perfect" Jane smiled as they stopped by the door. She stared at the tempting lips and swallowed. It didn't matter if it was just a few hours or minutes until she would see Maura again, she just couldn't stop herself. "Just one" she whispered and claimed Maura's lips in a soft kiss. All sorts of memories rushed back to her in one gigantic wave when Maura kissed her back. Everything from a cold stethoscope to angry words and soft touches, and she knew it had all been worth it.

Maura ended the kiss much too early for Jane's liking and took a step backwards. "That was a really bad idea" she sighed.

Jane took a deep breath and nodded. "Totally a bad idea…"

Without hesitating, Maura opened the door and gently pushed Jane out of her office. "I'll call you" she smiled before closing the door.

Jane stared at the door for a few moments, feeling like she had just been tossed out after a one-night stand, and it made her chuckle. She slowly turned and walked down the hall, thrilled that is was just one more game left of the season.


	30. Chapter 30

Heather patted Jane on the shoulder as they stood in the tunnel, ready to hit the ice for the last time. Jane reacted by patting Nicole on the back and so the gesture went all the way up to Louisa who was first in line. Jane took a deep breath as she stared at the white letters on Nicole's back. It was completely crazy that the season was ending in just a few hours. Three periods of hockey were all that stood between them and a long summer vacation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, give them a warm welcome for the last time this season; your Boston Daredevils!"

As soon as the speaker was done, the line started moving and Jane moved her head from side to side. She felt ready, excited to finish her first season in Boston, anxious to get it over with so she didn't have to spend her days trying to be professional around Maura. Her hand touched the logo on the wall while her eyes were searching for Maura who was standing by the bench. She didn't hide the smile that erupted on her face as she got closer. When she was almost by Maura's side, the doctor mouthed the three words that was now becoming a ritual for them. Jane replied with a short nod and a smile before she held out her hand. She didn't know why she did it, but Maura didn't let her down and bumped her fist against Jane's glove. Jane chuckled as she saw the tiny hand against her huge glove. She had never seen Maura bump fist with anyone before and despite everything that had happened the last week, Jane was proud. She jumped on the ice with a huge smile.

* * *

Jane stood in front of the goal and made sure she had a firm grip on her stick. They had been in San Francisco's zone most of her shift, and a few girls were battling for the puck in the corner. Nicole was in the middle of the huddle, pinning the puck against the board with her skate.

"Move it!" the referee ordered when seconds passed and no one could get to the puck.

Nicole moved her skate just enough to jab at the puck. After a few more jabs, the puck slipped through the skates and sticks and sailed along the board and around the goal to Vicky who was on the other side. She moved it back to Heather who moved along the blue line, closer to the middle of the ice. Jane knew from experience that Heather could shoot (her whole leg had been black and blue after she blocked one of Heather's shots in practice a while ago) but it was still her job to block the goalie's view. She had to stand in the middle of the shooting lane and just hope she wouldn't get hit. It was what she did in every game. Jane saw how Heather looked between Nicole, who was still out on the right side, and the goal before she moved her stick back, indicating she was going for the shot. Jane took a look over her shoulder to make sure she was right in front of the goalie and braced herself.

Everyone thought Heather would shoot. One of San Francisco's players went down to a knee between Heather and Jane, to try to block the shot, but was utterly fooled when Heather slowed down in the last second and instead of shooting, she passed the puck to Nicole. Jane could barely turn her head in time to see Nicole wrist the puck towards the open space between the goal post and the goalie. The red light came on behind the goal, the place exploded and Nicole looked up while she raised her hands. She looked relieved, like she had finally gotten rid of those weights on her shoulders.

Jane laughed as she quickly made her way over to Nicole and almost crashed into her. "Yeah! Nice job, Nicki!" Jane yelled as Nicole lowered her hands again. "I told you you would score again before the season was over!" Jane hooked her arm around Nicole's neck and hugged her.

Nicole laughed while the three other girls made it over to her and started patting her back and helmet. "It's the last fucking game! But I don't care. Finally…"

They all enjoyed the moment before they skated over to the bench where the rest of the girls leaned over the board and held out their glove, ready to bump fists with them.

* * *

Jane looked up at the scoreboard as the seconds ticked down in the third period. They were losing by two goals, but it didn't seem to bother the audience much. They were all giving the team a standing ovation, applauding for a long time before the clock reached zero and the alarm sounded. Jane looked at her team and smiled. They were all equally surprised. She skated over to Louisa and patted her helmet before the rest of the girls did the same. It was a strange setting. One team celebrated on one side of the ice, and the home team tried to accept that they had lost the final game of the season. All around them, people were applauding, and Jane felt a chill go down her spine.

"You'd think we'd just won the cup or something" Nicole commented as she joined Jane in the middle of the ice.

"I know. It's weird!" Jane chuckled. "I hadn't expected this in the final game." She took off her helmet and pushed the hair out of her face while her eyes scanned the bench in hopes of catching just a sight of Maura. The doctor stood there smiling and watched the audience.

The team took their time skating around, thanking the audience and giving away their sticks along the way. Another jersey giveaway was set to happen and Jane and Nicole made their way over to the bench area to get a little bit of rest while everything was set up. Jane kept stealing glances at Maura behind Nicole's back, but struggled to keep her grin at bay.

The giveaway finally started and 20 children were lined up on a carpet out on the ice. They each held an envelope that contained one of the players' name. A young boy around 10 grinned from ear to ear when he opened his envelope and saw Jane's name on the piece of paper. He held it up proudly while Jane's name was called out.

She skated over to him and smiled. "Hey. I'm Jane, what's your name?" she asked and kneeled in front of him.

"David McKenzie" he grinned and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, David." She took off her jersey and placed it over her knee, with the back facing up. "Do you play any sports?"

"Yeah, I play hockey. I'm a goalie."

His mother, Jane assumed, handed Jane the marker they had been given. "Nice!" Jane grinned. "But you probably don't want my jersey then, you'd rather have Louisa's, right?" She quickly signed her jersey along with a personal note.

"No way!" David blurted out. "I like you as well."

Jane handed the marker back before she turned the jersey and held it up for him. "Alright then. What do you think? Good enough?" She smiled as she watched his eyes go over the jersey before he nodded.

"Thank you. But I think it's too big for me…"

Jane laughed and nodded. "Yeah, maybe now, but you'll grow into it." She looked up at his mother who was ready with the camera on her phone. "Alright, I think it's picture time." They took a few pictures before Jane gave him a hug and a fist bump before she skated back to the bench. She noticed Maura's eyes were glued on her as she approached and Jane stopped in front of the doctor, leaning on her arms on the board. "What?"

Maura tore her eyes up to Jane's and smiled. "Don't ask, not here" she whispered.

Jane saw how Maura's eyes kept dropping. She took a look at herself; a sweaty t-shirt underneath a layer of protective gear and Jane laughed. "Really? I'm a mess" she said, careful not to speak too loudly.

Maura took a deep breath and shook her head. "It's just a little bit strange to see you without the jersey, how much gear you actually hide underneath it. You look… fierce."

Jane smirked and had to look away. "Well, take a close look cause it's the last time you'll see me in this for a while."

"I'm almost sad" Maura smiled back.

"Yeah… me too" Jane whispered before she straightened. "Alright, I gotta go. I think a few reporters are waiting for us…" She let out a deep sigh before she headed towards the locker room to get rid of the gear and her skates.

Jane knew she was in for a long run with the media after the game, it was normal after the last game of the season. What she hadn't expected was to be the one everyone wanted to talk to. She knew she had had a pretty good season, setting personal bests in goals and points, and she was the most productive player on the team. She just didn't think it would make her that popular.

She tried to be patient and kept her answers as short as possible, but she still felt like she said the same thing over and over again. The reporters wanted to know everything, every little detail and it took time. When she could finally get away from their claws, she stepped out of the locker room and saw several of the girls had done the same. She hadn't seen Maura since she left the ice and she wasn't even sure how much time had passed since then. Danielle was hanging around out in the hall, and Jane made her way over to her.

"Took you long enough, I've been waiting for an hour!" Danielle complained.

"Yeah… sorry, I'm just too damn popular" Jane grinned back. "I didn't mean to keep you up past your bedtime."

Danielle chuckled. "Sure… so, how does it feel to be done with another season? Or have you been asked that ten times already?"

Jane smiled while she leaned her shoulder against the wall, making sure she had a clear view over the people in the hallway. "Right now it feels horrible cause I just wanna change and get away from here and relax. Doesn't look like we'll get our locker room back anytime soon."

"I can't wait to see the videos tomorrow" Danielle grinned. "I want to see if I'm able to pinpoint the exact moment when you got fed up and started glaring at anyone who wanted to ask you something."

"Won't take you long" Jane laughed. "I tried to tell myself it was the last time, but it didn't help."

Danielle looked around at all the people surrounding them. "So… you didn't try to think of the long, hot summer that's coming either?"

Jane glared at her for a brief moment before she started grinning. "I did… I got distracted and had to ask one guy to repeat the question cause he probably didn't say what I thought he said."

Danielle laughed out loud and shook her head. "You're gonna be a real treat this summer… have you made any plans yet?"

"No… I'll just wing it." Jane heard her answer was slightly unfocused, but Maura had just stepped out of one of the treatment rooms across the locker room, and Jane's eyes searched for hers like a heat seeking missile. Maura didn't see Jane and turned the corner towards her office. "I'll be right back" Jane rushed before she stepped past Danielle and hurried after Maura. "Hey, doc… you have a minute?"

Maura stopped and turned around at the sound of Jane's voice. She smiled but noticed all the people around. "Of course, Jane. Something wrong?"

Jane stopped as she caught up with Maura and stared at her. "Oh… uh… just some pain… in my back."

"Oh." Maura sounded surprised and then gestured to her office. "Let's see then."

As Maura opened the door and stepped inside, Jane looked down the hall. At the corner, Danielle was standing with her arms crossed over her chest and softly shaking her head while smiling. Jane just shrugged and winked before she followed Maura inside.

"When did you hurt your back?"

Jane closed the door behind her and smiled. "I didn't. I just said it because I needed a minute alone with you."

Maura started to smile when Jane walked over to her and put her hands on Maura's hips.

"I know I'm sweaty and disgusting and all but…" Jane took a breath before she leaned in and kissed Maura. "It's been forever and I wasn't sure if you were still here."

"You are not disgusting…" Maura smiled and ran two fingers down Jane's neck. "Sweaty, yes, and surprisingly it's not because of me…"

Jane growled as Maura slipped her hands into Jane's hair. "Careful, doctor, cause we're in a minefield right now."

"We are?"

Jane nodded. "There's a bench right behind you, and a desk…" She leaned closer and softly pressed her lips against Maura's. "And there are walls all around us."

Maura couldn't hold back the chuckle. "I see your point. Maybe you shouldn't be so close to me then." She gently pushed Jane back.

Jane slowly shook her head and knew she had a stupid grin on her face. "I actually came to say that I really, really want to spend the night with you… if it's okay with you and even if it might take a while before I can get out of here."

"It's more than okay with me, Jane, and I can wait."

"You don't have to though. I mean… those vultures have pretty much occupied our locker room." Jane sighed just by the thought. "It can take forever before I make it out of here. I can come over to your place right away. You don't have to wait around if you don't need to."

Maura seemed to consider it for a moment before she nodded. "I'd like that. I think I will be done here before you, so how about you let me know when you're on your way, and I can have some food waiting for you."

"Oh, food" Jane sighed happily. "That sounds good too. You have yourself a date, doctor."

"Perfect" Maura smiled and stepped back into Jane's personal space. She grabbed the edges of the padded hockey pants Jane was still wearing. "Now go get out of these pants or shorts, or whatever they are called. They look uncomfortable."

Jane laughed as she held out her arms. "What? You don't like my fashion choice?"

Maura scrunched her nose. "They looked better accompanied with the protective gear. And even better with a jersey and skates."

"Yeah, I see what you mean" Jane agreed as she looked down at the pants. They were huge, which of course they were supposed to be because of the padding and the protection. They provided support for her back, but the doctor had a point. Without the rest of the gear she looked rather ridiculous in them. "Alright, I'll change and put them away so you won't have to see them for… months."

"And I'll finish up here and go home and change into something more comfortable myself." Maura stole a kiss before Jane took a step towards the door.

"You have no idea how much I like the sound of that" she smiled and left the office.

Jane felt bad for lying to Danielle again, but she didn't have much choice since Danielle was waiting for her. She brushed the visit to Maura's office off as back pain, but that it was nothing important.

After Danielle left, it took a while for the girls to claim their locker room again (with a lot of help from the coach and Chris), but once they were all gathered, Heather stood up and closed the door. The silence seemed to be a nice change for all of them.

"Alright, so we lost the last game of the season" Heather said and leaned back against the door. "But hey, at least Taylor got her first goal since… since forever!"

Jane laughed while Nicole made a face at Heather. "Since February" she commented, only to realize it sounded worse than '12 games'.

"Right, so a month and a half" Heather grinned. "Anyway, she scored. Even though we lost, you all saw and heard the audience tonight. I think we've given them a pretty good season. No one really thought that Boston would be fighting for a playoff spot until the last four games. No one thought a Devil would have three freaking hat-tricks this season, or that Louisa would have 7 shutouts. I say we did a good job this season, and we've absolutely taken a few steps forward in the rebuilding.

I'm not gonna stand here and talk my head off, like you know I can, cause I know you're all exhausted and want to go home. But I do need to say that we should all feel good about this season. You should be proud over your own effort, I'm certainly proud of you. I love being on this team, and play with all of you. We fight and we laugh, we go through rough games and amazing games, and it might be exhausting at times, but I know I will be longing for next season in a few weeks. It really is the greatest job I could ever have.

So, girls, thank you for a great season, thank you for all the fights and the laughter, for the goals and the wins, thank you for the long flights and the endless waiting, for the effort and the dedication. Thank you for being the best team I could ask for."

Heather went back to her seat as the girls applauded.

"You forgot something" a voice came from the end of the room after the applause faded.

Heather grinned and leaned her elbows on her knees. "No way, I never forget that." She silenced for effect while she looked around in the room, knowing perfectly well that she would barely get through the words before they all joined in and repeated them.

"It's good to be a devil!"

* * *

The woman next to her was already asleep, lying on her back, one hand lazily over her stomach, the other tossed to the side, fingers hanging off the bed. Jane watched the chest, barely covered by the sheets, rise and fall for each breath, a slow and steady rhythm. It was addictive, mesmerizing. She slowly rolled over on her side, tucked one hand under the pillow and studied the face that was mere inches away. How could one person make her feel so relaxed and content, just by sleeping next to her?

She had been outside Maura's door just after midnight, all weary and exhausted and famished. She had felt bad for keeping Maura up that late, but the doctor had refused to listen to her. Instead she had waited patiently while Jane ate before they went to bed.

Light spilled through the open door from the lamp in the hallway they had forgotten to turn off, and in the semi-dark, Jane felt like she was in a bubble. The world outside was just that, outside, and she couldn't care about how they had lost their last game, or that the season was over and she wasn't going to play for a long time. None of it mattered because she was looking at Maura's beautiful features and couldn't sleep.

Not happy with just watching, Jane carefully put her arm across Maura's waist and palmed the hip on the other side. The movement caused Maura to take a deep breath and stir before she opened her eyes. She stared right up at Jane who was smiling at her. "Are you watching me while I sleep?" Maura mumbled and struggled to keep her eyes open.

Jane nodded and leaned down to place a soft kiss on Maura's forehead. "I couldn't look away."

Maura giggled and turned on her side, making sure to get as close to Jane's body as she could. "And why aren't you sleeping?"

Jane felt the hot breath against her skin as Maura breathed out. "I will soon. I just need to relax a little bit. It was a long night…"

"Anything I can do?" Maura yawned and slipped an arm around Jane's waist.

"No, just go back to sleep. I know you're tired." She never got a response and after just a few moments, she felt the steady breaths against her skin. Jane smiled and focused on the soft puffs of air while she closed her eyes.

* * *

When she woke up that Friday, she needed a few moments to wonder why her alarm hadn't gone off since it was way after 9. Then she remembered the game the night before and she smiled as she reached out to her right but only found empty space. The first day of the long summer vacation and she woke up alone in a huge bed. She sat up and heard hollow sounds coming from the kitchen. It didn't take her long to get out of bed and find her clothes.

In the kitchen she headed straight over to Maura who was standing by the kitchen island, still dressed in her pajamas and reading on her laptop.

"Good morning" Maura smiled as Jane approached her.

"Morning, gorgeous." Jane grinned as she noticed the subtle sign of shyness on Maura's face, and slipped her arms around her waist. "You didn't wake me" she halfway asked and kissed a smiling cheek.

"No, I thought I would let you sleep. You deserved it after the long night yesterday."

"Yeah, it was a long night…" Jane looked down at the screen and saw her name in an article. "Doctor Isles, are you googling me again?" she teased.

"No…" Maura reached for the screen to close it, but Jane was quick to grab her hand and pull it back. Maura laughed as Jane started reading out loud.

"Even though the Devils managed to score twice against San Francisco, the biggest surprise was that Rizzoli was not the one who scored. After racking up 10 goals in her last ten games, including two hat-tricks, everyone seems to expect her to score, or at least get an assist, in each game."

Maura turned around in the tight space and silenced Jane with a kiss. "I'm not googling you" she repeated with a smile. "I'm just reading about the organization I work for."

"Okay, I'll let it slide this time" Jane smirked back before she leaned in for another kiss. When Maura's hands slowly moved around to her back, Jane smiled into the kiss.

"What?" Maura whispered against her lips.

Jane shook her head and pulled back. "I'm just glad I'm here right now, that the season is over and we're not gonna be around all those people and having to pretend anymore." She was expecting a smile or a nod in agreement, so when Maura just looked at her like she had completely overlooked something, it was her turn to mutter a 'what'.

"We have to pretend a little bit more. You are cleaning out your lockers today, aren't you?"

"Yeah" Jane shrugged. "But that won't take long. Are you gonna be there?"

Maura nodded and moved her hands to Jane's hips. "I have to go in for a few hours, yes. Then there's the dinner tomorrow night."

"Dinner?" Jane asked and had to dig through a lot of information until she remembered tomorrow was Saturday and the whole team and staff were having dinner to celebrate the season. "Oh crap…. I forgot about that. I don't think I can go, I'm coming down with the flu or something" she sighed.

"Jane…" Maura tilted her head. "You are not getting sick. Why don't you want to go?"

"It's not that I don't wanna go, but…" Jane tightened her grip around Maura and sighed. "It's gonna take forever because people are gonna give speeches, everyone will be there, there'll be alcohol all around. You'll be there, and judging from last time, you'll probably be wearing a dress that makes you way too hot and sexy for me to handle. I'm not sure I'll be able to look at you and pretend I haven't seen you naked…and touched you… while you've been naked…"

Maura was staring into Jane's eyes and barely breathing before she suddenly took a deep breath. "Good point" she nodded and blinked. "But you are still going."

Jane was about to groan but was stopped when Maura's lips were on hers. She leaned into the kiss as a hand snaked up her body and to her cheek.

"Well…" Maura started and stroke her thumb over Jane's cheek. "I have to be at the office by noon, I should probably go take a shower now so I will make it in time."

There was something about the voice and Maura's eyes that made Jane take a second look at her. Then her eyes trailed to the clock on the wall. "You have over two hours… can't you have breakfast with me first?"

Maura replied with a slow kiss, sliding her tongue over Jane's lips as she pulled back. "Breakfast will have to wait because I am hoping this shower will take a long, long time…"

Jane's lips turned into a huge smile as Maura stepped away from her and pulled at her hand. "Yeah" Jane smirked and was willingly guided out of the kitchen. "It's just stupid to have breakfast first…"

* * *

Even though they left Maura's house at the same time and Jane stopped by her place to change clothes, she still made it to the rink just minutes after Maura. Jane laughed silently after Maura had pulled her aside in the hall and whispered that she had only been there for five minutes. The locker room was buzzing with life as Jane entered. Many of the girls were already there and removing their personal items. Jane gave a nod at Louisa before she went over to her seat next to Heather.

"Morning… how is first day of freedom?" Heather asked as she kneeled on the floor to remove the box underneath the bench.

Jane had to suppress the smile that wanted to burst from inside, and took a deep breath instead. "Not bad" she managed to say casually. "No annoying alarm that tore me out of my sweet dreams… I treated myself to pancakes for breakfast…"

Heather laughed and looked at her. "Luxury on the first day… just the way it's supposed to be. So, have you heard anything?"

"Are you afraid I'm not gonna tell you?" Jane laughed, happy for the excuse to grin like a fool.

"Hell yeah! I'm afraid you're gonna forget me when we won't see each other every day. And…" Heather leaned a bit closer. "Well, you know… if it's a yes. Then you're gonna be too busy to even think."

Jane kept grinning and opened the empty bag in front of her. "Good point…" She stood up and started removing her stuff from the shelf, wondering just how long she could keep this going.

"You didn't answer my question" Heather whispered after getting up and taking a step closer to Jane. "And that stupid smile on your face makes me wonder…"

Thoughts were racing through Jane's head as she looked at Heather. Of course she couldn't tell her that things had actually happened, Danielle would probably kill her if she found out she wasn't the first to know. Then again, Danielle already knew about the texts and the upcoming date… that had already taken place, she just didn't know it. Maybe Jane could ease the pain of hiding her smiles just a little bit? She looked back at the shelf in front of her and nodded. "Yes."

Heather was instantly a little bit closer. "Yes what?"

Jane sighed before she chuckled. "Yes, we've talked" she whispered. "We decided to meet next week. So it wouldn't be all weird and awkward when we passed each other around here."

"Thank God!" Heather laughed and put a hand on Jane's shoulder. "And finally! I'm glad… really."

Jane just nodded and picked up her hat from the shelf. It was the same one she had been given on her first day and the same she had worn when she met Maura for the medical tests six months ago. Pure black with the red logo in front. Just for nostalgic reasons, she put it on and looked at Heather. "So am I… but you can't say a word to anyone!" she warned.

"Of course not" Heather smiled before she returned to her box on the floor. "But I'm glad there's an explanation to your annoyingly happy face…"

"Shut up!" Jane laughed and gave her a tiny shove.

* * *

Maura entered her bedroom and turned on the light before she proceeded to her walk-in closet. "So what is the absolute worst?" she asked and started going through her dresses.

"Something like the last one" Jane replied as she sunk down on Maura's bed. "That was torture…"

Maura smiled as she found the mentioned black dress from the New Year's Eve party. "Then I will put that one aside. Anything else?" She couldn't help the amused tone in her voice. When she didn't hear anything from Jane, she stepped out and looked at her.

Jane was sitting on the bed, legs crossed and arms resting on her knees. She was staring at Maura. "You think this is funny, don't you?"

"I wouldn't use the word 'funny'" Maura commented and had to retreat back to the dresses to avoid giggling.

"Then what word would you use, doc?"

"I think it's endearing." She flipped through the dresses while waiting for some sort of comment that never came. No sound at all and Maura once again popped her head out from the closet. Jane was still staring at her, and had maintained her position on the bed. Maura did in fact find it a little bit funny that they had to go through her dresses to find one that Jane approved for the dinner party. Jane Rizzoli, who always had a special comment for you if you said something stupid, who would fight you if she felt like you deserved it, who frequently spoke her mind and could leave her surroundings looking like the aftermath of a hurricane, that Jane Rizzoli wanted to know what Maura was going to wear the following night because she had to be 'mentally prepared'.

"You think it's funny" Jane stated with a tiny smirk.

Maura surrendered and walked over to her, her smile on full display. "I admit I think it is a little bit funny, yes." She stopped in front of Jane and stroke her cheek. "You don't hesitate to stand in the way of a flying puck, you don't bother if people smash you into the boards on the ice and you are not afraid to defend yourself or anyone else, even if it means you have to fight. So yes, I think it's funny that not knowing what dress I might wear tomorrow is throwing you off your game."

With one push, Jane was on her knees on the bed and arms safely around Maura's waist. "If you had seen yourself through my eyes, you'd understand… because this is without a doubt the bravest thing I have done."

The kiss was a welcomed distraction for Maura who was temporarily out of words. Instead she rested her arms on Jane's shoulders and kissed her back.

"So to help you out…" Jane mumbled as she pulled back. "Nothing that has too much cleavage…" She looked at the covered chest in front of her and smiled. She watched as her fingers drew a wide and deep cleavage on the sweater, probably too deep and wide for Maura to even consider wearing. "And nothing with splits." Jane looked back up to Maura's eyes while she slowly shook her head. "Splits are the devil's work… they are just cruel."

Maura wondered for a second if she should point out the irony in Jane's wording since they both were in fact devils, one way or another. "No splits…" Maura repeated and decided to let irony rest for the night. "And not too much cleavage. I can work with that." She couldn't resist the temptation of one more kiss before she extracted herself from Jane's embrace and returned to the closet. She took a deep breath as she judged some of the dresses and decided on two simple dresses. She held them up as she stepped back into Jane's view. "How about one of these?"

Jane studied the dresses; one classic black that seemed innocent enough, the other a dark blue that seemed to promise a lot of skin. "I think I need to see them on you" she smiled.

Maura sighed but chuckled. "You are a tough woman to please" she said as she turned around. The words echoed in her head. "Not a word!" she added quickly, but heard the laughter behind her. "I will change in the bathroom, I think it's for the best" she smiled while entering the bathroom. She closed the door and ignored the loud sigh.

Fifteen minutes later, Maura stepped out of the bathroom hopefully for the last time. Several dresses were hanging on door knobs and anywhere else, and Jane was still on the bed, sitting on the edge with her feet on the floor. Maura stopped in the middle of the room, this time wearing a cream white dress that was perfectly acceptable in her eyes. She held out her hands and awaited the verdict.

Jane took one look before she shook her head. "Nope!"

Maura sighed. "This is the fifth dress you've turned down. I am running out of options."

"Oh no, I'm _not_ turning them down" Jane smirked. She stretched out her leg and managed to get her toes under the hem of the dress. Maura had no options but to walk over to her as Jane retracted her leg. "They are just not gonna work." She put her hands on Maura's hips and let her eyes trail up the body and to Maura's eyes. "Or, actually… they work really well… because they make me want to hit on you. They make me want to say cheesy lines, each and every one of them until I find the one that convinces you to let me take that dress off of you."

"You won't get past the first one" Maura mumbled and put her hands on Jane's shoulders.

Jane smiled as she rose from the bed and moved close to Maura's lips. "But I can't do that tomorrow, which is why I have to say no to the dresses" she whispered.

Maura looked briefly at the lips that were so close before she removed the distance. "I'm starting to think that it's not really about what I'm wearing" she whispered back in between kisses.

"Hmm, that might be true" Jane smiled. "Cause I have seen what is underneath the dresses… and that's really what is making me crazy. So the dresses are just in the way…" Her hands slipped around to Maura's back, and when her fingers grazed the zipper in the back, she couldn't really stop herself.

"So we will not agree on any of my dresses because all you want to do is take them off me?" Maura closed her eyes as Jane slowly pulled the zipper down.

"At least we agree on something about these dresses."


	31. Chapter 31

Jane stopped outside the door that would lead her to the room the team had rented for their dinner. She knew everyone would be there, and she needed to take a deep breath. She looked at herself and wondered what on earth she had been thinking the day before. After clearing out her locker at the rink, Jane had had a few hours to kill before dinner and she had decided to head to the nearest mall and maybe look for a pair of new running shoes. On the way over there, with thoughts full of Maura and smiles and kisses and naked skin, she had hatched some sort of a plan. She wanted to surprise Maura at the team dinner and running shoes fell to the bottom of her list.

She had decided to try and find a dress that she would consider wearing. Not just any dress, but a dress that would completely blindside the doctor. Yes, Jane wanted to look hot. Maybe it was a bit cruel, but she had always had a little devil inside her, and since she now was one, sort of, why not let the little bastard come out and play?

She smiled as she looked down at her dress. Black and simple, yet fancy enough for this sort of dinner. Just tight enough for Jane to be comfortable, reaching mid-thighs and with silver details over the hips. Not much cleavage, Jane couldn't compete with Maura on that, but then again, who could? It was just enough cleavage for Jane to accept. She had been skeptical in the store, liking the dress (and surprising herself) but felt that something was missing. The saleswoman had been really helpful, and after Jane had tried to explain how classy and elegant were not her style, she had pointed to Jane's jacket and provided a really great solution. Jane's favorite leather jacket and a pair of low boots with barely a heel, and she felt good.

Indistinctive chatter filled her ears as soon as she opened the door and entered. It seemed like everyone was already there, and Jane used her height to her advantage and scanned the room for those blonde waves. After double checking, she settled for the next best thing and walked over to Heather and Nicole who was hanging by the bar. Jane saw the surprised looks and nods of approval as she made her way through the room. Some complimented her and a couple even whistled, if definitely boosted her confidence that she had made the right choice.

Heather was the first one to notice Jane as she approached, and the look on her face said it all. "Holy shit! Who are you and what have you done to our friend?!" she blurted out with wide eyes.

Nicole turned around after the words were spoken and reacted the same way. Mouth open and big eyes as she took a deep breath. "Oh man…" She shook her head and smiled as she took in the sight before her.

Jane just stood there and grinned.

"Oh my god, Jane, you look..." Heather had to look at Jane a few times before she laughed shortly. "Hot enough to turn me gay for a night!"

Jane burst out laughing. "Yeah right!" she teased, knowing Heather was most likely messing with her. "You want me to tell your new boyfriend that you said that?"

Heather grinned. "No thank you, that won't be necessary. But you do look amazing."

"Thanks…" Jane smiled before she noticed the smirk on Nicole's face. "Don't look at me like that, we're friends! It's creepy" she teased.

Nicole just shook her head. "Oh this is just too funny… and obvious. You are aiming to impress tonight, aren't you?" She smiled and was proud to draw a shade of embarrassment on Jane's face.

Heather quickly caught up with Nicole's words and nodded. "Yeah, that's gotta be the reason… you normally hate dresses!"

Jane looked from Heather to Nicole and back again before she nodded. "You think it will work?" she asked.

"If not, then we're gonna give that woman a wake-up call!" Nicole answered without hesitating.

* * *

With just five minutes left before the dinner was supposed to start, Heather nudged Jane's arm. "She's here and heading this way" she warned her.

Jane nodded once and looked down at the beer in her hand. She was so damn nervous she thought she was gonna throw up any minute. It dawned on her that she had overlooked one little flaw in her plan; all the people around them. It was bad enough that they had to pretend, maybe her plan had been just a tad too evil?

"Hi girls."

The voice made Jane close her eyes. Heather and Nicole had both turned around, but Jane stalled. She needed a few seconds to get her feelings under control.

"Hey! Oh, I love the dress" Heather said.

"Oh, thank you. It is actually one of my favorites."

Jane counted to three before she slowly turned around, expecting to see Maura in a dark red dress that they had somewhat come to an agreement about last night. Their eyes met for a moment before they both looked at each other's outfit. Only one thought ran through Jane's head: that dress was not dark red at all, not even a shade of red. When she finally tore her eyes back up to Maura's face, Jane started to smile. The doctor's eyes were glued on her, going up and down her body several times.

"Jane…" Maura muttered completely out of it. "Uh, wow…" When Jane cleared her throat, Maura managed to look up to meet her eyes. "I… you look… I mean-"

Jane couldn't help but grin from the way Maura seemed to struggle. After all, it was the reaction she had been hoping for.

Nicole took a step closer to Maura. "I believe the word you are looking for is smokin'..." she suggested.

Maura laughed and nodded slowly. "Close enough" she smiled. "This was a pleasant surprise."

Jane's eyes lingered on Maura's lips for a second before looking away. She wanted and needed to be alone with Maura, sooner rather than later, and hoped her friends could just disappear for a while. Heather made sure to get Maura a glass of wine, and Jane looked over to the group of tables in the middle of the room. All long tables set up vertical so no one would have their backs against the small stage up front. "So, is there a seating chart or something tonight?" Jane asked and looked back at Heather, knowing she had been involved in the organizing of the dinner.

"No" Heather replied and handed Maura the glass of wine. "Sit wherever you like. In fact, we could find a table if you all want, I believe things are about to start anyways." After Nicole and Jane both nodded, Heather looked over at Maura. "Dr. Isles, you want to sit with us tonight?"

"I'd love to, if you don't mind?" Maura said and looked at Nicole who shook her head.

Maura didn't even bother to look at Jane, and it caused Jane to smile. She didn't care if Nicole or Heather saw her stupid smiles, they already knew about her feelings, it was no need to hide that.

Heather and Nicole both took the first step and steered them towards the table while sharing a few words. Jane shared a smile with Maura as they walked behind the two. When Heather walked around the table and sat down, closely followed by Nicole, Jane smiled at them. It left two seats, side by side, for Jane and Maura. Jane pulled out the chair for Maura and waited until she was seated before she sat down herself. No table behind or beside her, Jane had a perfect view over everyone. The stage was to her left, and with her being the farthest from it, no one could really see if Jane maybe reached out under the table to graze a thigh with her fingertip. Maybe her friends weren't so bad after all?

Just as they had taken their seats, Chris clinked his glass and cleared his throat. "All right, since the captain is already at the table, we might as well follow her lead. Please find a seat, even at the bar if you prefer that, _coach_."

Some laughter was heard as people started to move and find a seat. Jane looked over at Heather who sat across from her, then back at the glasses on the table, smiling. No one seemed to know what to say and they all sat there and smiled. After everyone was seated, the lights were dimmed and an upbeat song started to play followed by a video on the huge screen up by the stage. Short clips of the team flashed by before the song seemed to explode into a fury of energy. Highlights from their games were shown and Jane was immediately thrown back to the different games. When her hat-tricks were shown, she felt Maura's hand on her knee, the thumb stroking over her skin. She smiled and she didn't even care if Heather or Nicole saw it. As soon as Maura turned and looked at her, Jane covered the hand with her own and squeezed it.

The video ended with some of the lighter moments that had happened during the season; someone falling, the game where the puck had disappeared somewhere in all of Louisa's gear and it took almost 20 seconds on fast forward to get to the moment when the puck slipped out from one of the leg pads. Nicole got a pie full of cream in her face after her first goal, and Jane was left to skate alone in her first game. Everything brought laughter from the audience until the last clip showed Jane patting the logo on her jersey after one of her goals. Then their logo filled the screen again.

Everyone applauded and Chris walked up to the stage. He looked out over the room. "Welcome everybody and thank you for coming. No matter how much I try to prepare, April always comes as a surprise. It did again this year. Another season is over, and I must say it has been one crazy ride this time. As most of you know, we are going to celebrate tonight, and we have a lot to celebrate. I'm not gonna stand here and bore you with my speeches because I know you're all starving, but some things need to be mentioned.

First of all, thank you girls for giving your heart and soul out there. It doesn't matter how many coaches we have or what they say, because in the end, you are the ones out there doing the job. I cannot stress how proud I am over the effort you put in, the will and determination in all of you, the love you have for this game that clearly shows in every game.

Second, to all the coaches, trainers and medical staff. The ice crew and equipment managers who keep track of all the sticks and pucks and jerseys and skates throughout a season, and everyone else; you have all done an amazing job, I couldn't have put together a better team myself if I tried!"

Jane and Heather both rolled their eyes and then laughed along with everyone else.

"As every year, we do have a few awards to hand out tonight. I will get back to that after dinner, but now I'm getting very impatient hand signals from the kitchen so I better wrap it up. Thank you again for coming, and I hope you'll enjoy the meal!"

Jane turned to the back where a row of waiters was waiting, all with plates from fingertips to elbow, and soon discovered another good thing about their table. They were served first which was perfect for a starving Rizzoli.

Dinner started out nice and calm, and for Jane it got easier to slip back into pretend-mode as the conversations moved along. Talking kept her busy until all three courses were over. After dessert was over and all plates had been removed, Heather was approached by Chris and soon disappeared from the table. Jane barely made eye contact with Nicole before she excused herself to the bathroom and also left the table. Jane and Maura looked at each other at the same time, sharing a smile before Jane's eyes dropped to the cream white dress next to her. "That was not the dress we agreed on" she almost whispered. She wasn't sure why she was afraid anyone would hear her, there were people all over the room chatting, trying to drown out each other.

Maura took a look at Jane's clothes before she looked back up. "After seeing your outfit, I'm not even sorry" she whispered back.

Jane started laughing and shook her head. "Fair enough…" she mumbled.

"However…" Maura leaned a little bit closer. "I'm curious as to why you changed your mind about wearing a dress. I wasn't expecting to see you in this…"

The way Maura's eyes slowly ran down her body caused Jane to feel things that definitely wasn't appropriate. She stared down at the table, wishing she had been on the other side of the table instead. It would've been easier to fight the urge to touch. "It was just a spur of the moment when I was killing time yesterday. I thought I'd surprise you."

"You did." Maura reached for her glass and looked at the few drops left before she emptied it. "Although it was cruel of you. Now all I want to do is take you home…"

Jane cleared her throat and faked a couple of coughs in hopes of getting rid of the echo in her head. "You're not helping, doc!" She turned to her left and saw Maura smiling at her. "I think I'll go get you some more wine" Jane chuckled and grabbed Maura's glass before getting up.

"Like that will make it any easier" Maura blurted out.

Jane laughed as she stood next Maura and looked at her. The naked skin on her back was too much to resist, and she rested her hand there while leaning down. "The only thing that could make this any easier is if you weren't here, but that would kinda suck." She let her thumb trail over warm skin before walking away.

* * *

"Alright guys! That leaves us with the last award which is a special one." Chris was back up on the stage, looking out over the room. Two awards had already been given out and Heather had walked away with one of them. "It's the 'player of the year' award, and this year the selection has been a little bit different. We've handed the decision to the public via voting and three hockey experts here in Boston, and I would like coach to come up here to give out this award."

Coach Landers made his way to the stage where he was handed a plain white envelope. As he opened it, Jane felt Maura's fingers brush against her thigh under the table, like a good luck wish.

"Thank you, Chris, for letting me do this, especially since I'm the one who's actually coaching these girls while you sit behind your desk…" coach Landers said from the stage and was awarded with some laughs. "So, player of the year…"

Jane looked over at her friends and smiled. She honestly wasn't sure if she wanted to be the name he was gonna call out. She definitely had the winning instinct in her blood, whether it was the Olympics or a bet with one of her brothers, but for some reason she didn't want to bring that award home after her first season in Boston. There were plenty of other great players on the team, and none of them had done the stupid shit she had done through the season. However, a win was a win, and she imagined it would feel pretty good if the fans liked her enough to vote for her.

"Jane Rizzoli!"

The room broke out into applause and cheers while Jane smiled and was sure she blushed. She looked over at Heather and Nicole, who were both whistling and clapping, before breathing out. Before she managed to get up, Maura had her hand on Jane's back and was hugging her.

"Well deserved" she whispered before pulling back. "Congratulations."

Jane smiled back and hoped the hand that ran down her shoulder and upper arm looked innocent enough. "Thank you." She finally got up and walked up to the stage where coach Landers greeted her.

He handed her the award and gave her a hug. "Didn't come as a surprise" he smiled.

"Thank you." Jane looked down at the award in her hand and took a deep breath. It wasn't until the room silenced that she noticed coach Landers had taken a step back and she was the center of attention. "Shit, I have to give a speech" she blurted out loud enough for most to hear. People laughed, and Jane shook her head while she tried to think of something to say. "Uh… I totally wasn't prepared for this…" She tried to focus on the trio in the corner, hoping it would make it easier. "I don't feel like I deserve this though. I mean, I can't play my game without you guys beside me, you are the ones with all the amazing passes that make my job so much easier. So this one should be shared with all of you. Thank you for the warm welcome six months ago. You made me feel like a part of the team from the beginning, and I couldn't be happier right now. It truly is good to be a devil."

* * *

Jane stood by the bar waiting for her turn when her eyes caught that white dress floating towards the bathroom later in the evening. She watched it disappear behind the corner and she lost even more control over her hands. They desperately wanted to touch just a little bit, an arm or a hip, anything. Hours beside that body without being able to touch was torture. When the bartender finally came over to her, Jane walked away. She was walking through the bathroom door within seconds and took a quick look around. Maura stood by the sink and all four stalls were available. "Perfect" Jane mumbled before she hooked her arm around Maura and pushed her towards the stall in the corner.

"What…" Maura didn't even finish the sentence and just shook her head.

"It's all your fault" Jane smiled as they crammed into the tiny stall. She locked the door and after turning awkwardly in the tight space, she claimed Maura's lips in a feverish kiss. Jane pushed her against the wall and covered that white dress with her own body, loving the hands that were already on her hips. "I told you what would happen with that dress on" she mumbled in between kisses.

The door opened in the other end of the room, bringing loud music and noises in before it closed and all that could be heard was a pair of high heels. They both froze in the middle of a kiss, and Jane slowly pulled back enough so they could look at each other. Maura's hands lay perfectly still on Jane's hips as they heard water running.

"Hey Jane, you there?"

They both recognized Louisa's voice and Jane sighed.

"I thought I saw you go in."

Jane didn't want to say anything but a firm look from Maura told her to ignore her own wishes. "Yeah, I'm here" she replied.

"Oh… hey, congrats on that award thing… you totally deserved that."

Jane smiled when she heard the distinctive slow speech, it meant Louisa had had a few drinks. "Thanks…" Her hands hadn't moved from Maura's neck and she softly stroke her thumb over Maura's cheek.

"You've been really good this season…" Louisa chuckled briefly. "It helps when you score a bunch of goals, it makes me feel less bad for playing like crap sometimes."

"Glad I can help then." Jane smiled and rolled her eyes. The water was shut off and all they heard was a sigh.

"God, I'm getting drunk already…"

Maura pressed her lips together to avoid laughing. Jane could luckily laugh. "Yeah, I think you're in good company tonight. Definitely not alone." She swallowed when hands slowly moved on her hips, fingertips trailing over the side of her stomach and back again.

"Jane? Do you mind if I ask you something?"

She wanted to say 'yes', tell Louisa to get the hell out of there because she was currently pressed up against a very hot body and it was driving her insane that she couldn't do anything. "No. Go ahead…" Maura moved her hands carefully around to Jane's back, terrified of making any noise.

"Maybe you think it's none of my business but… why are you always so secretive about your personal life?"

The question totally surprised Jane.

"I mean, you've told reporters you won't answer questions like that. I'm just curious because I actually don't know anything about you myself. I don't even know if you have a girlfriend right now or not."

Maura smiled at her, and Jane closed her eyes for a second. "I just don't think my personal life has anything to do with hockey. And it's really not very interesting either…" The face in front of her quickly turned into hurt, and even though Jane knew it was just to tease her, she had to look away.

"So no girlfriend these days?"

"Nope." She really needed Louisa to stop talking and go back to her drink. A nose brushed against her cheek before a pair of lips smiled against her skin. This whole conversation was getting really awkward.

"Too bad… Hey! Do me a favor this summer; get a girlfriend!"

Jane laughed out loud.

"No, seriously! I bet you have girls hanging around every corner waiting for a chance… Go find someone. You deserve that too."

Maura laughed silently against her neck, and Jane drew a deep breath. She carefully forced Maura to look at her. "Fine. I'll do my best." Jane smiled, Maura smiled, eye contact and soft touches. It was all how it was supposed to be. Almost.

"Great. Alright, I'm actually thirsty again. I'll see you out there."

Heels clicked, door opened to let in the noise again for a few seconds, then the room was quiet. They both stood there and looked at each other, waiting just to be sure they were alone again. Jane was the first one to exhale loudly. She could feel how everything between them had changed, it wasn't the uncontrollable desire any longer. With a soft kiss, she removed her hands from Maura's neck and let them slide down her upper arms. "Well, that was…. unexpected."

Maura smiled and nodded. Her hands lay flat against Jane's chest. "Jane… I don't think we should do _this_ here. It's not that I don't want to, believe me, I do. It just…" Maura trailed off and lowered her head.

"I know" Jane whispered and pressed her lips against Maura's forehead. "Too many people and too many distractions."

Maura nodded relieved and looked up.

"I don't think you would be quiet enough anyway" Jane smirked and leaned closer when Maura's hands slipped around her neck.

"No argument here" Maura giggled before claiming the lips that were so close to hers. "But it is the last time the team is gathered for a long time, how about we enjoy the night instead? You and I have the whole summer to ourselves."

"I like the sound of that" Jane smiled. "But I'm still going home with you when this night ends, right?" The smile that spread across Maura's face made Jane take an extra breath.

"There is no other alternative than you going home with me tonight."

* * *

 **AN:** Alright... so I could've gone with this sneaking around thing for a long time, but someone will find out in the next chapter. Guesses anyone? There has been a hint in one of the previous chapters I believe ;)

After this one we still have 4 chapters left. They may or may not be filled with fluff and funny things... :) Thank you for sticking with me over the "bumps" in the road (or the mountains as someone suggested), I'm glad you wore your seat belt and are alright ;)


	32. Chapter 32

For the second time, Jane woke up alone in Maura's bed, and she was getting frustrated. Waking up next to Maura and forgetting about time and space was exactly what she had been looking forward to. She rolled out of bed, plotting cruel ways to 'torture' Maura but realized that all her cruel ways were not really cruel at all. Instead they made her grin as she got dressed, thankful (and shocked) that she had actually thought of bringing some normal clothes.

Maura stood by the oven, dressed in her usual pajamas when Jane entered the kitchen. All thoughts of torture vanished the second Maura smiled, and Jane happily walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Are you making pancakes for breakfast again?" she smiled and leaned her chin on Maura's shoulder after a kiss on the cheek.

"It appears so" Maura sighed and looked down at the stack of pancakes already on a plate. "I think I'm starting to spoil you, but at least it's blueberries this time."

Jane placed a second kiss on Maura's cheek before she went over to the fridge, already feeling like she belonged there. "Blueberry pancakes are still pancakes" she argued and grabbed some orange juice from the fridge. "And I'm having pancakes for breakfast for the second time in three days. I really hope my doctor doesn't find out about this" she teased.

Maura shook her head but smiled as she moved the finished pancake over to the others and decided it was more than enough. "I think your doctor will say that it's okay considering those extra workout sessions you seem to have now. Daily." She managed to say it without as much as a raised eyebrow.

Jane stood at the end of the island with the glass in one hand and the juice carton in the other, grinning like a fool and staring at Maura. "Oh my doctor is the best…"

"And your doctor may have altered the recipe a little bit just to make the pancakes healthier" Maura admitted on the way over to Jane. She took the juice from a frozen Jane and filled the glass. "However, you didn't seem to complain last time so I'm assuming you didn't even notice." With a satisfied smile, she took a sip of the glass.

Jane slowly started to shake her head. "My doctor should be glad she's really, really beautiful…"

Maura laughed just as the doorbell rang and she took a step closer to steal a kiss. "Would you find a glass for me too while I get that?"

"Yeah" Jane nodded and slowly came back to life as Maura disappeared from her side. She had just reached for a second glass in the cabinet when Maura had made it to the front door and opened it.

"Oh, hi! Oh my god, it's Sunday, I had completely forgotten you were coming today!"

Sunday. The word echoed in Jane's mind as she tried to figure out why Sunday held some sort of meaning.

"Oh, um… we can reschedule if you want."

Jane froze with her arm still reaching for that glass. Danielle. She was there because Maura had offered to help with her paper. _Shit!_ So this was a pretty good time for Jane to panic. She looked around. She couldn't see Maura or Danielle out in the hall, but could she make it to the other side of the kitchen and to the bedroom without being caught?

"No, no, please come in. It's okay with me if you don't mind waiting so I can change and freshen up?"

"Sure, no problem."

She went for it. Jane ran over to the other side of the kitchen as silently as she could, turned the corner with as much grace as an elephant and slipped on the floor. She crashed into the wall and barely avoided to be hit in the head by a framed photo that fell from the wall. It landed right next to her knee and shattered on the floor.

The two out in the hall looked at each other when they heard the noises before moving to the kitchen.

"You have a cat or something?" Danielle asked and smiled before she noticed the pancakes on the counter.

"No" Maura replied and was confused. "That must've been Jane. Jane?"

Danielle picked her jaw up from the floor. "Wait, Jane's here?!"

"Yes, we were about to have breakfast" Maura explained and failed to notice the shocked expression on Danielle's face. "Jane, are you alright?" she called out again and slowly walked over to the other side and finally turned the corner only to see Jane sitting on the floor with her head in her hands. "Jane…?"

Jane just shook her head before she slowly got up from the floor.

"What are you doing?" Maura asked completely lost. She looked down at the glass on the floor.

"Sorry…" Jane whispered and looked at Maura. She wanted to sink into a hole.

Maura shook her head and smiled. "No worries. What happened?"

"I tried to hide…"

"In the wall?" Maura asked and held out her hand.

Danielle laughed from the kitchen, and Jane sighed. She really didn't have a way out of this. "No… I slipped and fell." She took Maura's hand and carefully stepped around the glass on the floor. As soon as they were in the kitchen and in Danielle's line of sight, Jane saw the huge grin on her friend's face and released Maura's hand.

"Why were you trying to hide?" Of course Maura wouldn't let it go.

"She was trying to hide from me" Danielle cut in.

Jane sighed and walked back to the lone glass of orange juice. Maura was staring at her and seemed to be waiting for some sort of explanation. Danielle was staring at her too, but obviously wanting a recap and not an explanation, judging from the arrogant smile on her face.

"I'd be happy to explain why you wanted to hide from me" Danielle offered.

"No you won't" Jane warned her. She looked over at Maura at the other end of the island and sighed before walking over to her. "Okay, remember when we agreed that no one would know?" Maura nodded. "Well, no one knew. Until now."

Maura's eyes switched to Danielle in surprise. "She didn't know?"

"No. I mean, she knew about the texts from that Friday night, but nothing since then" Jane kept explaining.

"I assumed you had told her. You seem to tell each other everything."

Danielle chuckled. "Yeah, we used to…"

"Don't even try, Dani" Jane laughed. "Just sit down and shut up…"

Danielle obeyed with a smirk, and Maura took a step closer to Jane. "You've lied to her the whole week?"

Jane figured it wasn't meant to sound like an accusation, that it was more a surprised repetition, but it still caused her to lower her head in frustration.

"What? The whole week?!" Danielle blurted out.

Maura slowly looked from Jane to Danielle and back to Jane while she pressed her lips together. She looked like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "I think I'm going to go change and freshen up… and let you two talk."

Jane smiled and was about to reach out for Maura but stopped herself in the last second. Instead she tore her eyes away as Maura stepped out of the kitchen. Jane looked at Danielle who sat across her and just smiled.

"I'm listening!"

"I knew you would crash my date somehow" Jane laughed when she heard the bedroom door close.

Danielle scoffed. "Something tells me this isn't your first 'date'." The quotation marks were made unnecessarily large and slow.

Jane leaned her arms on the kitchen island and smiled. "Yeah, you're probably right about that…"

"So? Come on! Talk. When did things… change?"

"I'm not gonna tell you about it while we're here! No way. It just feels weird since she's under the same roof."

"Hey, just because I love your reality show doesn't mean I want to see the behind the scenes stuff! Just tell me the day!"

Jane laughed while she looked down at her hands. "Tuesday."

Danielle stared lifelessly at Jane and shook her head. "Why am I not surprised? You couldn't wait, huh?"

"I'm not gonna tell you about it here…" Jane repeated and lowered her voice. "So that's all you're getting right now. Tuesday."

"Fine. So Tuesday. Today is Sunday. I have probably asked you how things were going at least ten times since Tuesday, and each time you lied to me?" Danielle tried to make Jane feel at least a little bit bad but couldn't even erase the smile on Jane's face.

"Sounds right to me. You want coffee?" Jane ignored the scowl and went to get cups for them both. She really hoped Maura would change and freshen up in a hurry so she didn't have to be alone with Danielle. Having to talk about the latest week with someone else than Maura just seemed wrong, and talking about it in Maura's house bordered on blasphemy.

"You know your way around her kitchen too now? Not bad…" Danielle was fishing for a reply, but got nothing. "Well, I'm guessing you've pretty much lived her lately so I shouldn't be surprised…"

Jane walked back to Danielle with a cup of coffee and smiled politely. "You want pancakes? I think we have enough to feed a date crashing bastard."

Danielle laughed before she cocked her head. "We?" she pointed out and smirked.

"I know! I heard it!" Jane rushed. She slowly met Danielle's eyes and started to smile herself. "Just don't tease me in front of her please…"

"I won't" Danielle replied after a few seconds of hesitation. "At least not too much in the beginning." The eye roll from across her was ignored. "But seriously… all kidding aside for a moment…" She leaned her arms on the cool, gray surface and hunched over the coffee cup to get closer to Jane. "So is dating her what you hoped it would be?"

Jane looked down at the black liquid and smiled. "I'm not sure I would call it dating…"

"You wouldn't call a spade a spade even if it dug your grave!" Danielle blurted out. "After all this time, you're definitely dating. So…?"

After a slow nod Jane looked up from her coffee. "Yeah, it's perfect" she smiled. "Even if it was really tough to pretend around the team." She got a huge and genuine smile back.

"So it should be even better from now on. You know I'm not the sentimental type, but damn, I'm happy to hear this. Even though you decided to lie to me and god knows when I would hear about this if you guys hadn't forgotten about me today…"

"I would've told you soon. I just didn't want to tell anyone right away, and there was so much stuff going on."

"I know, don't worry, Jane. As long as you were planning on telling me before anyone else."

Jane laughed and nodded. "Of course. I don't have a death wish…"

Danielle slowly leaned back and exhaled. "Good, then we're on the same page again."

When Maura returned ten minutes later, Jane was finishing up her breakfast while Danielle was sipping on her coffee. Maura eyed the two best friends carefully in case the relaxed atmosphere was just a cover up. "Everything okay?" she asked and focused on Jane.

Jane looked up, chewing the best she could to be able to speak.

Danielle watched in amusement as seconds ticked by and no words from Jane. Finally, she gave up and looked at Maura. "Everything's okay. I'm a bit disappointed that she didn't tell me sooner…" An elbow poked her in her side and she squirmed a bit. "But I'm happy for you guys."

"Thank you" Maura smiled as Jane managed to finish chewing. "I have heard so much about you and your friendship, I actually expected Jane to tell you no matter what, so I was very surprised."

Jane sighed and put down the fork and knife. "You're supposed to be on my side" she pouted.

Maura smiled sweetly as an apology while she poured herself a cup of coffee. "I am, Jane."

"Good." Jane got up and cleaned up after herself, drawing looks from the other two when she rinsed the plate and put it in the dishwasher. "Alright, I'm gonna go…" She stopped next to Maura and looked at Danielle. "So you can maybe learn something. But behave!" She almost felt like pointing a finger at her friend.

"I always behave!" Danielle replied as Jane went out into the hall followed by Maura.

"Of course" Jane chuckled. She put on her jacket and shoes before stopping in front of the door. Like a reflex, she reached for Maura's hip and was almost leaning in when she saw Danielle staring at them from the kitchen. "Will you stop staring at us please?" Jane said loudly and caused Maura to laugh.

"Fine" Danielle grinned from the kitchen and did what she was told. "Geez, can't even kiss her in front of me, huh?"

Jane sighed before she decided to take advantage of the privacy and pulled Maura closer. She kissed her and lingered for a moment before pulling back. "Bye, gorgeous" she whispered to make sure Maura was the only one to hear it.

"Bye… I'll call you later" Maura replied with a smile as Jane opened the door.

"Bye Jane!" Danielle sang from the kitchen.

Jane shook her head as she stepped out. "Bye moron!"

* * *

Her neck was seriously starting to hurt and Jane looked away from the tv and to the ceiling instead. She had been lying on her back on Maura's couch for well over an hour, her head turned to the right to watch the Bruins play their last game of the regular season. She could've moved if it wasn't for the blonde curled up against her side, sleeping with her head on Jane's shoulder. Maura had said she didn't mind watching the game with Jane, but sometime during the first intermission, her eyes had closed.

Jane carefully rolled her neck, not wanting to wake Maura. She felt it was just fair that Maura got a chance to nap since Jane had completely crashed when she got home to her own apartment. The dinner the evening before had lasted well into the night, and they hadn't gotten much sleep. So Jane had muted the game as soon as she saw Maura was asleep. She turned her head again to catch the last minutes of the second period, but as soon as the period was over she reached for the control and turned off the game. It was just too physically painful to watch (something she had thought was impossible when it came to the Bruins) and the sleeping beauty next to her was much more interesting anyway.

She carefully put her own hand on top of Maura's. Her thumb started stroking over warm skin and she got almost lost in the sight. It was still a little bit hard to believe that all of this was happening, but the smile Jane saw in the mirror every day didn't lie.

After a few moments, Maura stirred and blinked before she looked up at Jane. "I fell asleep" she mumbled and then noticed the silence in the house. "Is the game over already? Did I sleep through the whole game?" She propped herself up on her elbow, knowing just exactly how long a game lasted in the hockey world.

"No, you didn't" Jane smiled. "You've only been sleeping for about 40 minutes, I just turned off the game. Kinda painful to twist my head…"

"You could've moved me" Maura rushed.

Jane shook her head slowly. "No, I couldn't" she smiled. "You looked so cute… and I like it when you sleep on me."

Maura sighed before she lay back down and hugged Jane. "Good, because I was actually very comfortable."

They lay in silence, and Jane was sure she was drifting off to sleep herself when Maura returned the soft touch on her hand.

"Jane?" Maura watched as her own fingers ran over Jane's hand.

"Hm?"

"This… us… is this just about sex?"

Jane's hand clamped down on Maura's fingers in a swift movement. "What? No!" She moved her head a little bit so she could look at Maura. "You didn't think that, did you?"

"I don't know… I wasn't sure, I mean…" Maura paused before she sighed. "I don't know what I mean."

Jane turned on her side, noticing how Maura's hand tightened around her waist, like she was trying to keep Jane from falling off the couch. "I'm not gonna lie, sex with you is pretty damn amazing!" she smirked and snuggled closer. "But I want more than that. I want _you_. I want to have you in my arms like this, and I want to wake up next to you every day. I want to be the one you search for in a crowded room…"

"You already are the one I search for in a crowded room, and I want all of that too" Maura sighed. She leaned in and pressed her lips against Jane's. "I just needed to know we were on the same page about this."

"And what page would that be?" Jane smiled.

"The page about dating…"

Jane breathed in slowly while she nodded. "Yeah, we're on the same page" she exhaled while burying her face in the crook of Maura's neck. "And I'm the luckiest girl in the world right now…"


	33. Chapter 33

**AN:** Just as an explanation: the Montreal Canadiens and the Bruins are long time rivals.

* * *

Even though the season was over, work wasn't done for the doctor, and Jane found herself alone and bored when Monday came around. She started the day with lots of energy and decided to put it to good use. She turned up the music and in no time she had cleared all the clutter and mess in her apartment. Even cleaning seemed much more enjoyable when she imagined she did it for Maura.

When the clock closed in on 2, she was running out of energy and sank down on her couch. She saw the LED on her phone flashing and picked it up.

Danielle  
 _I'm bored. Entertain me._

Jane smiled and started to type back before she stopped. Danielle had sent it a couple of hours ago and Jane got an idea. If Danielle wanted entertainment, Jane was definitely gonna try to give her entertainment.

Jane  
 _There once was a doctor so ready, that she couldn't even walk steady. A crash at the corner in the hall, and I found myself in her office against the wall. The first kiss made everything click, and from there it all went down pretty quick._

She burst out laughing while she typed and shook her head. She was awful at this, but she still couldn't erase anything and sent it before it was too late. Since it was Monday, Danielle would be at school, probably in the middle of a class and Jane knew Danielle frequently checked her phone no matter the setting. To Jane's surprise, she didn't get a response until there was a knock on her door a little over an hour later. She barely unlocked the door before Danielle barged in.

"First of all, you should never ever write Maura a love poem…"

Jane smiled as she closed the door.

"Second, how fucking dare you!?" Danielle laughed. "I was in class! I burst out laughing. Out loud!"

"Oops" Jane grinned and returned to her couch.

Danielle paced around in front of the tv. "Yeah, oops! My professor stopped talking and came over to me, asking what was so funny about a complete tear of the Achilles tendon. He took my phone and read your text. Out loud!"

Jane was shaking on the couch.

"Everyone heard it and was laughing. Then he saw the text I had sent you, about being bored, which I sent at lunch, and he thought I had texted you during class! So thank you, my friend, for embarrassing me in class!" Danielle sighed before she sat down on the couch.

"You're welcome" Jane laughed before she was kicked in the leg. "Come on! I didn't tell you to read it in class. Blame yourself, smart ass."

Danielle shook her head and decided not to point out just how well Jane knew her, of course she would read texts as soon as she saw them. "Okay, moving on. Where the hell did that stupid poem come from?" she smiled.

"The real world" Jane shrugged.

"You mean…"

Jane nodded. "Yup, that was how things changed last week" she grinned.

Danielle scooted closer and crossed her legs in front of her on the couch. "No…? You didn't…?"

Once again, Jane nodded. "I totally did…" She looked at Danielle who sat there with big eyes. "Yes, in her office" Jane answered before Danielle even had a chance to speak.

"Oh my god" Danielle laughed. "A quickie in her office, _that's_ how things changed?"

"Yes, I believe that's what the kids are calling it these days." Jane leaned back and waived her hand in the air, faking ignorance.

Danielle swatted at the hand. "Oh shut up. You are one of those kids! So… who caved?" The answer came in the shape of a huge smirk, and Danielle laughed. "You obnoxious stud!"

"Nah, not really" Jane chuckled. "I caved a lot later that night…"

"Too much!" Danielle blurted out and jumped up from the couch. "Too damn much!"

* * *

When she took a moment to really look at the situation, Jane couldn't help but smile. There were so many… weird things, not that it was a bad thing, but she was starting to realize just how different their worlds were. Maura's house was perfection, neat and tidy and there was always a scent of something Jane couldn't describe but it was soothing and relaxing. Jane's place… well, it was hers. She had her own art on the wall in the shape of her jerseys from various teams. Her bedroom was always a mess (but she was really trying to at least put the dirty clothes in the hamper these days), and she constantly had to search for her jacket or her shoes because she could never remember where she had left them.

Jane looked at the bottle of wine in her hands and the two half-full glasses on the kitchen counter. Had it been an Italian wine she could at least say the name out loud without sounding like she had a mouth full of cotton, but no, Maura swore to the French and their stupid names. It wasn't even a surprise that Jane had been talked into drinking wine instead of beer. She shook her head as she picked up the glasses and returned to her couch.

Seeing Maura on her couch was even a reminder of how their worlds crashed. Maura in her skirt and what looked like a simple blouse to Jane, but she knew that wasn't true. It probably had some fancy name, bought in a shop where they didn't even price their clothes, everyone knew it was too damn expensive anyway. Well, except Jane's date who was taking off her shoes and making herself comfortable on Jane's old, worn out couch. Maura put her feet up on the couch and curled up in the right corner, Jane's usual spot. She was watching a documentary, but Jane had spaced out while Maura was eagerly talking about it earlier in the day.

Jane put down the glasses and sat down as close to Maura as she could. She looked at the naked legs next to her, picked them up so she could scoot closer to Maura and placed the legs over her lap. "You're cold" she pointed out while her hands ran down Maura's legs. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed the blanket on the back of the couch and placed it over the legs before she snuck her hands back under it and to the cold skin. She turned to Maura but barely got a smile before the doctor turned back to the screen, obviously very interested in the documentary.

* * *

"Jane?"

The tv was off and it was noticeable darker in the apartment. Jane looked at Maura who was staring at the wall. "Yeah?"

"I know your birthday is coming up this weekend and I want to know what to get you. So what do you want for your birthday?" Maura looked at Jane and smiled.

"I want you" Jane replied and leaned her head against the back of the couch.

"You already have me."

"Then I have everything I want."

Maura couldn't help but blush. "I still want to get you something."

Jane shook her head while she reached for Maura's hand. "You don't have to get me anything. I don't care about gifts."

"If you don't tell me, then I will get you a hundred pairs of socks!"

Jane laughed. "Is that a threat? Cause I could actually use some new ones…"

"Jane!" Maura pouted.

"Okay, okay… fine, you win." Jane looked down at the smiling and anticipating face and she couldn't help herself. It was too much fun to tease. "You can get me… a beer and make me dinner and let me decide the movie we're gonna watch."

"I will cover your entire apartment with posters of the Montreal Canadiens."

Jane gasped. "You wouldn't?!"

"I don't think you want to dare me on that one. So tell me!" Maura winked.

"Fine" Jane laughed. "You can get me… Bruins tickets to the playoff for me and Danielle, and be naked in bed when I get home." She almost expected a pinch or a slap or anything like that, so when Maura just smiled, even Jane was surprised.

"I can do that… I can even be naked before you go to the game." Maura ran her hand up Jane's arm as far as she could reach.

Jane closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the mental picture before she shook her head slowly. "No, you can't… cause the tickets are all sold out." That's when the pinch came. Jane grinned while she slid down between Maura and the back of the couch.

"You are impossible!"

"I know" Jane mumbled and stole a kiss. "But okay, I'm gonna be serious." She slipped her arm around Maura and pulled her closer. "I don't need anything. What I want is to wake up next to you and see that beautiful smile. I want to spend the day with you, doing whatever we choose to, and then fall asleep with you in my arms. That's the only thing I want for my birthday."

Maura turned onto her side while she smiled. "I can agree to that, but I am still getting you a gift so unless you give me some ideas, you can't complain about it."

"I can say for sure that I won't complain about anything you give me." Jane had barely said the words when there was a knock at the door. "Sorry, that's Danielle, she's just dropping something off" she explained before getting up. She was completely thrown off when she saw her mother standing on the other side of the door instead of her friend. "Ma…"

"Oh thank goodness you're home. I didn't bring my key with me. I brought you some lasagna."

Jane didn't even have the chance to respond before her mother barged in, lasagna in hands.

"Why is it so da-"

It was like in slow motion when Jane turned around. Her mother had noticed Maura, and Jane saw just how intimate and romantic it all looked. Two glasses of wine close together on the table, a dark apartment and a woman who was slowly sitting up on the couch.

"Oh…"

The tiny word from her mother filled the entire room and Jane breathed out.

"I didn't know you had company" Angela grinned and looked at Jane.

"If you had called first like normal people, then you would've known" Jane muttered. She grabbed the lasagna from her mother's hands and headed for the kitchen.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, I'm Angela, Jane's mother."

When Jane turned around, Maura was already up on her feet and moving towards Angela.

"Oh, it's no problem, I'm Maura, nice to meet you."

Jane shoved the lasagna into her fridge before rushing back to the two women. "Okay, thanks for the lasagna, Ma. You probably have something else to do, so we won't keep you. Say hi to Korsak for me." She did everything but push her mother towards the door.

But Angela didn't move. "So… how do you know my daughter?" Her eyes were still focused on Maura.

"We… we work together."

"Oh, you play too? I'm sorry, I can't remember the names of everyone she plays with. It seems to change a lot, I can't keep up" Angela laughed.

Jane looked at Maura, who looked back at her with a desperate look in her eyes. "Ma" Jane said and cleared her throat. "She's not one of the players."

Angela looked at Jane and lifted her hand, pointing at Maura. "But she just said…"

"There are other people on a team than the players, Ma. And can we _please_ not discuss this right now?"

"Oh, of course there is. My bad" Angela smiled at Maura, completely ignoring Jane's plea. "And I must say, you look much too fancy to be a hockey player, no offense!"

Jane covered her face with her hands and shook her head slowly. She obviously needed to wake up from this nightmare.

"None taken" Maura replied and smiled.

"Ma" Jane said with her hands still over her face. "You need to leave. Like now!" She finally removed her hands and was met by two sets of eyes.

"Alright" Angela said and lifted her hands in complete surrender. "I can tell when I'm not wanted."

"Yeah right!" Jane laughed. "You just ignore it every time!" As her mother turned around, Jane mouthed an apology to Maura before rushing over to make sure her mother actually went through the open door and disappeared.

Angela was about to step outside when she stopped and turned around. "I bet you wish you had listened to me and bought a new couch now" she smiled.

"Ma!"

"But at least you bought a new bed."

"MA! Come on!" Jane heard how Maura tried not to laugh behind her, and it made her give her mother an encouraging shove.

"It was nice to meet you, Maura" Angela smiled while she put her foot in front of the door so Jane couldn't toss her out like she wanted. "And Jane, you should bring her to your birthday dinner on Saturday."

Jane pushed the door against the foot just to illustrate her point.

"I hope you know her birthday is on Saturday" Angela continued and looked back at Maura. "You are more than welcome to join, it's just friends and family, she never wants to make a big deal out of her day."

"Ma, last warning…"

"Alright, I'm going" Angela smirked as she looked at Jane. "Bye girls, enjoy your evening" she sang as she removed her foot and was practically pushed out of the apartment by the closing door.

Jane locked the door before she rested her head against it. What a way to ruin a perfectly good Tuesday evening. "I'm sorry" she sighed. A few seconds later she felt two hands slide around her waist, coming to a stop over her stomach.

"For what?" Maura whispered against Jane's shoulder. "For not buying a new couch?"

"Yeah, that too" Jane laughed as she turned around. She wrapped her arms around Maura and kissed her forehead. "If I had known back in September that you would be here now, I would definitely have bought a new couch. But I'm mostly sorry that I couldn't warn you before you met my mother, and that it happened this way. She doesn't really have a filter and she didn't know about you either. I'm surprised she didn't scold me for not telling her and then proceed to show you baby pictures of me."

Maura grinned as she looked up. "I would have enjoyed that. The pictures I mean, not the scolding…" She placed a light kiss on Jane's lips. "I admit it was a little bit sudden, but it was nice to meet her. She seems to take good care of you."

Jane nodded while she smiled. "Yeah, she does, even though she manages to embarrass me at the same time."

"Isn't that what a mother is supposed to do?"

"I guess… It's just not as fun when it's my own mother" Jane chuckled.

Maura smiled before she extracted herself from Jane and went back to the couch, curling up under the blanket. "So, you're having a family dinner on Saturday?"

Jane stood by the door and looked at Maura and that the sweet smile that reeked of a hidden agenda. She nodded slowly. "I was gonna tell you about it…"

"But…?"

"But nothing." Jane smiled before she joined Maura on the couch, sitting down in front of her, legs crossed. "Look, I would love to have you there if you want to come, but I'll understand if it scares you to death, especially after meeting my mom like that…"

"You want me there?" Maura reached for Jane's hands.

"Totally… And it's just gonna be my closest family and a few friends. Nothing big. Dinner there and then maybe a few beers over here."

Maura kissed one of the hands and smiled. "Then I would love to come."

* * *

Jane lay down in her bed that night well aware that it had only been a week since their adventure in Maura's office, but it felt like months. They had spent every single night together, and Jane was already used to the thought of a long summer with no hockey. It wasn't even on her mind, although it was always like that. The first week or two after the season ended were the easiest. She enjoyed the freedom, slept longer, worked out whenever she decided to and could meet up with her friends for an unplanned beer at any night of the week. Of course, this time she didn't do any of that, not like she used to anyway.

She rolled over on her side and studied the woman next to her. Maura was on her back, looking up at the ceiling with her hands on her stomach. There was a certain tension over her features, and Jane reached out and touched Maura's arm. "What's on your mind?"

Maura briefly closed her eyes before she turned to look at Jane. She exhaled and smiled. "Just thinking about us…"

"So why do you look so… torn? I thought we were a good thing to think about."

"We are" Maura confirmed before she rolled over to face Jane. "There is just something I can't quite adjust to."

"What?"

Maura hesitated and waited until Jane had pushed back some strands of hair from her face. That was another thing Maura hadn't adjusted to just yet, that tender and soft side of Jane, it just didn't bother her. "It doesn't matter how good this feels and how perfect it is, I am still your doctor and I'm involved with a patient. I took an oath when I became a doctor, and no matter how I look at this, I am breaking that oath now."

Jane waited patiently in case Maura wasn't done talking. She couldn't help but feel a little bit worried and tried her best to keep it inside. She took a breath to prepare herself for a bunch of words when Maura's eyes widened.

"I just heard how that sounded" she rushed and inched closer, reaching for Jane's hand that was resting between them. "Don't take it the wrong way, I am not… giving up or anything like that. It's just difficult to…" Her eyes focused on Jane's lips but it was clear she was searching through the whole dictionary for a word. "To accept it, that I'm actually breaking that oath."

"Maura…" Jane managed to silence her and placed a soft kiss on her hand. "Do you know who my doctor is? It's Dr. King. He's been my doctor since I was a kid. He's probably 60 or something now, and he was actually surprised when I went to see him when I had that concussion. He didn't know I was back in town."

Maura didn't seem to quite understand what Jane was trying to say.

"I don't see you as my doctor" Jane explained and smiled. "You're a doctor, yeah, but that's just it. You're _a_ doctor, but not my doctor. I see you as a member of the team. My work place is the ice, the gym and the whole rink, your office happens to be down the hall. As far as I'm concerned, we work together." She let go of Maura's hand to place her hand on Maura's waist instead, pulling her a bit closer. "And yeah, I know, fooling around with colleagues isn't the best idea either, but we aren't just fooling around, are we?"

Maura shook her head.

"Good" Jane whispered and kissed Maura's forehead. "Cause if we were, then it would be really stupid of me to fall head over heels in love with you…"

"You…" Maura couldn't get out another word and just stared at Jane.

"What?" Jane smiled. "Don't look so surprised. You knew that… a long time ago."

Maura needed a minute to regain her focus. She took in a deep breath and smiled. "I just… you never put it like that." She barely dared to touch Jane's face.

"Maybe not… but it's still true. I'm not in this just for the fun of it, I… I am happy whenever I'm with you. It feels right." Jane tried to get even closer and placed a soft kiss on the tip of Maura's nose. "I get that you are uncomfortable with the whole doctor/patient thing, so if there's anything at all I can do to make it better, just say it and I'll do it."

"Thank you, Jane, but I think I just have to accept it. I want to be with you and we don't really have much of a choice. Unless one of us quits."

Jane felt a chill run down her spine just at the thought of it. "You don't want that… right?"

Maura smiled and placed her hand on Jane's cheek. "No. If we didn't work together, I would never see you…"

"True" Jane laughed before she suddenly had a clear idea of how it would be without Maura as the doctor. "Oh god, just the thought of the road trips without you make me depressed…"

"Exactly. So I just have to accept that I can't have everything."

Jane tightened her grip around Maura's waist and brushed their noses together. "You have me… if it helps."

Maura looked into the warm, brown eyes and felt every little ounce of worry disappear. Ever since they finally gave into the feelings and the mutual want, she had noticed Jane sometimes looked at her with pure happiness and love written all over her face. It left Maura speechless every single time, feeling adored and wanted.

She pressed a long kiss to Jane's lips and hummed. "That helps" she whispered. "It's the cure against everything now."


	34. Chapter 34

**AN:** I can't believe we are sooo close to the end. Next chapter is the last one and I am seriously bummed about it! :) I was really looking forward to your feedback for the last few chapters, and you have no idea how happy I was to see that you thought the parts that were supposed to be funny, were funny. I admit, it was a lot of fun writing them. Thank you so much. It put a giant smile on my face :)

* * *

The days seemed to only last half as long as usual that week, but Jane was actually liking it. She was starting to look forward to her birthday and the dinner. After making sure it was okay with Maura, Jane had invited Nicole and Heather as well, and she couldn't wait to see the look on Nicole's face when they were all under the same roof again. She hadn't seen Nicole or Heather since the team dinner (which of course could be all Jane's fault…) and Nicole still didn't know that Maura was done 'thinking'.

There was still one awkward thing Jane had to take care of before the dinner, and on Friday she headed over to the Robber to have a little chat with her mother and Korsak. Her stomach twisted and turned as she walked through the door and saw them both behind the bar. She wasn't used to talking to them about her love life.

"Oh, hi Jane!" Korsak called out as soon as he saw her.

Angela looked up as well and smiled. "Hi, honey."

"Hey guys, do you have a minute?" Jane stopped in front of the bar.

"Sure. You want anything to drink?" Korsak offered.

"No, I'm okay. I just wanted to talk to you, alone if possible" Jane replied.

Korsak and Angela looked at each other, obviously confused that Jane wanted to talk, before Korsak motioned for a secluded corner of the bar. They all sat down, and Jane started fidgeting with the sleeve on her jacket.

"Everything alright?" Angela asked.

Jane nodded before she looked up. "Yeah" she smiled. "Ma, have you told anyone about Maura?"

Angela carefully turned to her husband. "I told Vince…"

"Well, I expected that" Jane chuckled. "But anyone else?"

Angela shook her head.

"Good… because we're kinda keeping it a secret right now." Jane swallowed and was staring down at her fingers that had found a loose thread on her jacket. "She's the team's doctor… and we don't really want them to know. It's still pretty new so you can't tell anyone." She looked up when Korsak reached over the table and nudged her arm.

"Hey, we won't tell if you don't want us to. Don't worry about it."

"I'm not really worried about you, it's your wife I'm worried about" Jane smirked.

Korsak laughed while Angela used both hands to slap her husband's arm before she turned to Jane. "I can keep a secret!"

"Oh yeah? Then here's your chance." Jane could feel her shoulders lowering. Somehow they always managed to ease the mood when something difficult was discussed in her family. Granted, sometimes the joke was on her and made her frustrated at first, but the smiles were never far away.

"Thank you. You will soon see that I'm right."

"Of course, sweetie" Korsak smiled and kissed Angela's cheek. "So Jane, tell us about this Maura."

Jane smiled just by the mention of the name. "Nah… I won't do her justice. You can get to know her tomorrow…"

Angela lightened up all of a sudden. "Oh, you're bringing her to dinner tomorrow?"

When Jane nodded, Korsak leaned back in his chair and smiled. "You must really like her to expose her to one of the Rizzoli dinners."

"Yeah" Jane laughed softly and stared at the table. "I really, really like her… so will you please be nice to her?" Her eyes went back up to Korsak for just a fraction of a second before they settled on her mother.

Even Korsak looked at her, and Angela gaped as she looked between the two. "Why are you looking at me?"

* * *

Jane sat on the floor in the huge walk-in closet, watching while Maura tried to decide on what to wear. Jane had tried to explain that a Rizzoli dinner didn't require a fancy dress, she actually suggested the opposite, just casual. She quickly realized that 'casual' did not have the same meaning to Maura as it did to her. Maura pulled out item after item, matching and pairing while talking to herself, and yes, Jane had to admit it was pretty amusing.

"No…" Maura mumbled while studying the black pants she was holding up. "Maybe with a belt… Jane, could you see if you find a white belt in one of the drawers by your feet? It should be the second or third one."

"Sure…" Jane sighed before she smiled for herself. She crossed her legs and scooted closer to the drawers in front of her. She started with the third one and pulled it open, taking a look at the contents. All black and brown belts in there. She closed it only to freeze with her hand still on the handle. It was like there was some sort of speed bump on the way from her eyes, and her brain hadn't fully analyzed the picture yet. Wasn't there something very familiar in the back of the drawer? She opened it again and grinned when she saw that red B with the tail. "What's this?" she asked as she reached for the black clothing.

"What?" Maura asked before she looked down at Jane who was pulling out a black and red Devils jersey. "Oh…"

It was a 'caught in the act'-oh, and it made Jane look up. "Oh?" she repeated before unfolding the jersey. "Maura, you have a Devils jersey?" She looked down at the red logo flashing at her and smiled.

"Apparently…"

Jane laughed softly before her eyes caught the digit on the sleeve. She quickly turned it over and started to grin. "With _my_ name and number on it. How long have you had this?"

Maura sighed and looked away. "A while…"

Luckily for the doctor, Jane didn't notice the nervousness in her voice or appearance, she was too busy studying the jersey. She furrowed her brows as she traced the number on the back, it had a few black marks on the white surface. "Wait…" She flipped the jersey again and looked at the bottom hem. "You haven't bought this from the store" she mumbled. "Cause it should be a tag at the bottom here." She looked up. "And there are tape marks on the back. This is one of my game used jerseys!"

Maura bit her lip as she stared at the clothes in her hands. "Oh, it is?" It didn't come out convincing at all, and she knew it.

"Why do you have one of my game jerseys?" Jane asked with a smile. "And how?" She watched as Maura took a deep breath before she put down the clothes.

"I think I stole it…" Maura walked over to Jane and closed the drawer before she sat down and leaned her back against it, looking down at the jersey in Jane's lap.

"You stole it?"

Maura nodded and slowly looked into Jane's eyes. "Yes… remember the Denver game where you were giving away your jerseys to the fans after the game?"

"Yeah…"

"You were in my office when you changed jersey because yours were bloody after the fight. When you left I was holding the used jersey and… I took it." Maura smiled carefully while she put her hand on the mentioned jersey.

Jane took a moment to let it all sink in before she reached for Maura's hand and intertwined their fingers. "So stealing my heart wasn't good enough, you had to steal the jersey off my back as well?" she smiled.

Maura was torn between throwing herself at Jane, laughing and feeling offended. She ended up shaking her head with a huge smile. "I don't know what to say… I'm not even sure why I took it."

"Would you have taken anyone else's jersey?"

"Of course not!"

Jane moved the jersey onto Maura's lap. "So just mine…" She moved closer, put one leg behind Maura and the other underneath Maura's legs. "I think it's pretty obvious" she whispered and wrapped her arms around Maura. "You wanted me, but…" Jane placed her lips on Maura's cheek, not sure if she dared to continue her sentence.

"But I was still with Ryan…"

When the words were said out loud, Jane closed her eyes for a moment. It was still painful to hear his name since she was instantly reminded of everything that went down. She slowly pulled back until she could look into Maura's eyes, reminding herself that it really didn't matter what was in the past, she was the one holding Maura in her arms now. After a soft kiss to remind Maura of the same, Jane looked down at the jersey. "So what did he say when you came home with a bloody jersey?"

"He didn't know" Maura smiled. "I kept it in my car until I was home alone and could clean it. Then I put it in the drawer, he never went near my closet anyway. I knew he wouldn't stumble upon it. Like you did."

"Sneaky" Jane smiled as she rested her head against Maura's and looked at the jersey. Maura's fingers were tracing the wings on the logo. "This was actually a nice birthday present" Jane pointed out and giggled. "Finding out just how much you liked me back then…"

Maura nodded and turned the jersey over. "I can imagine…" She let her hand run over the white numbers while her lips turned into a smile. "Can you do something for me?"

Jane nodded. "Of course."

Maura turned so she could see Jane's face. "Can you sign it?"

The look in her eyes, the smile and those words. It was like Jane's heart was so full of feelings that it was ready to explode. It was shaking in her chest and she had to try several times before she managed to speak. "You want me to sign it?" She couldn't help but giggle a little bit.

"Yes" Maura nodded. "You are the player of the year, so of course. It will make it even more special to me."

"Okay" Jane smiled. "I'll sign it, anything for you." She lifted her hand to Maura's cheek before she softly kissed her. "And if you want to make it even more special…" Her lips trailed over Maura's cheek and barely grazed the tip of her ear. "I might have an idea."

Maura sighed before she slowly moved away. "Oh, so do I, but it will have to wait… Because you need to go home and change, and I still need to pick up your gift or we'll be late for dinner."

Jane groaned as her head fell down to Maura's shoulder. "God, that gift is making me curious! What on earth have you found that you couldn't pick up earlier and give to me when I woke up this morning?"

"You'll see soon" Maura smiled and kissed the top of Jane's head. "But I do hope it will be worth the wait."

"You know I'm a very impatient person, right?"

"Oh, I know" Maura laughed before she got up from the floor. She held out a hand to Jane who took it. "But if you go home to your place and let me get ready without those tempting hands and lips of yours all over me, the wait will be shorter."

Jane pretended to think for a moment before she grinned. "It's okay, I can wait…" Her hands were back around Maura's waist right away.

"Jane…" Maura shook her head while she took a step back. "Go home" she said as softly as she could. "I will be there as soon as I have picked up your gift. I don't want us to be late for your own dinner."

After a few moments of trying to challenge the doctor, Jane surrendered. She groaned and stomped out of the closet. "Fine, but I'm not signing your jersey today! Maybe not even tomorrow!" she exclaimed as she walked through the bedroom. She smiled when she knew Maura couldn't see her, and sighed from the power that woman had over her sometimes. She would never tell Maura that she loved it. She was just through the door when she heard Maura's voice from the closet.

"Such a diva…"

Jane laughed as she bounced down the stairs.

* * *

By the time Maura was finally walking through the door, Jane had estimated she could've driven back and forth to Maura's place at least two times. She was about to mention once again how impatient she was but stopped when she saw what Maura was carrying. "Holy crap… is that my gift?"

Maura nodded while she gently put down the thin, square and huge gift on the floor. It reached her waist and was much wider than her. "It was really awkward to carry it up the stairs. I had to hold it up high so it wouldn't bump into the steps."

Jane stared at it, wrapped in black paper with red ribbons. "Black and red, huh?" she smiled.

"Yes, but only because I couldn't find the proper yellow ones." Maura grabbed the corners of the gift and looked at Jane. "Are you going to open it?"

"Yeah, of course!" Jane grinned.

"I suggest we move it to the couch first. It is a bit fragile."

Jane grabbed the edges and picked it up, feeling the familiar texture of a frame of sorts as she walked over to the couch and put it down. With no patience left, she poked her fingers through the paper at the top and tore away a piece. A black frame came to light and under the glass she saw the well-known Orr in yellow. "A Bobby Orr jersey!?" she shouted and turned to Maura.

"Keep looking" Maura smiled.

Not even bothering with the ribbons, Jane tore away the rest of the paper with such speed that Maura started laughing. When everything was gone, Jane stood there and looked at a framed jersey surrounded with pictures and historical dates. At the bottom, under the jersey, a photo of the famous 'flying goal'. Jane smiled as she looked at the pictures. "Oh my god…" Then she saw it. In the middle of the 4 was his name, scribbled in black, and Jane had to blink. "Oh… my god!" She spun around to Maura and breathed heavily. "That's a signed Bobby Orr jersey!" she shrieked.

Maura was more than satisfied with the reaction and smiled. "Yes, it is."

Jane stuttered as her eyes flicked between the jersey and Maura. "B-b… I… you…" She puffed and finally focused on Maura. "You're crazy!" she said as she exhaled. "Do you know how much that costs?!"

The scene was exceeding all of Maura's expectations. "I think I know, yes" she laughed. Jane's breath was still rapid and she looked like she was about to pass out. Maura stepped closer and put a hand on Jane's back. "Breathe…" she smiled and placed her other hand on Jane's chest. "Your heart is racing!"

Jane laughed while she stared at the framed jersey. "You got me a signed Bobby Orr jersey…" she mumbled before turning her head to Maura. "Did you get me a signed Bobby Orr jersey!?"

Maura laughed again and placed a kiss on Jane's still half-open mouth. "I did. I remember how excited you were when you told me about him, and I thought you would want this one alongside your own jerseys on the wall. Happy birthday."

"You're insane…" Jane sighed and gently fell into Maura's arms. She wrapped her arms around Maura's shoulder and hugged her tight. "You're absolutely insane" she smiled.

"I can take it back if you don't want it" Maura teased.

Jane laughed into blonde hair. "Oh, I want it, but…" She pulled back and stared into Maura's eyes. "It cost you a fortune… you shouldn't have spent all that money on me."

"I believe I said you had no right to complain since you didn't tell me what you wanted."

"I'm not complaining!" Jane smiled. "It's just… I would've been perfectly happy with a kiss from you. I never thought you'd give me something I have dreamt about since I was a kid…"

Maura softly stroke her hand over Jane's back. "Jane… I never would have bought you this if I didn't have the money for it. I don't care about the money, and you are definitely not allowed to worry about it! I wanted to give you something special, and this seemed like a perfect gift for you."

"It is" Jane nodded. "I couldn't have asked for a more perfect gift. I mean, since I already have you…" She leaned in for a kiss but found it was difficult when Maura couldn't stop smiling. Jane chuckled before she matched the smile and they both stood there looking at each other. Jane moved her hand to Maura's cheek and swiped her thumb over the corner of the smile. "Seriously… thank you. I can't thank you enough for the best birthday present ever. I love it."

Maura inhaled slowly as she hugged Jane tightly. "Your smile right now is the only 'thank you' I need."


	35. Chapter 35

**AN:** So guys... here we are. Final chapter of a long ride. I started this monster in February last year, and after some on and off during the year, I picked it up again for real this winter and slammed the accelerator to the floor. I am proud of this story, I have loved it and hated it, been so sick and tired of it and still couldn't get it enough. I had planned to end it after the team dinner, but I obviously needed to write some fluffy scenes.  
I cannot thank you enough for sticking with me, for always giving me feedback, for making this a way more popular story than I ever thought it would be. I kinda want to look up every single one of you and bring you flowers or something, just to thank you.  
Seeing many of you wanting a sequel is a major boost of confidence, and I admit it is a tempting thought. Although I can't say either 'yes' or 'no' to a sequel right now, mainly because there is another huuuuge project that I might throw myself into now. I don't know yet.  
But... just in case; if I were to write a sequel, what would you guys like to see? What were your favorite parts in this one, and what would you like to see happen to the girls in the next season? If you want to share it with me, feel free to send me a pm. I honestly would like to hear from you.

Until next time... :)

R.

* * *

She hadn't really expected to see banners and balloons and her whole family waiting as she walked through the door, but that no one even noticed that she was there until she was in the kitchen was a bit surprising. Jane stopped and squeezed Maura's hand before she cleared her throat. "Hey Ma."

Angela spun around with spatula in hand and lit up when she saw them by the doorway. "You're here!" She rushed over to give her daughter a big hug. "Happy birthday, honey!"

Jane squirmed in the beginning, almost like a reflex, but realized she couldn't avoid hugs that day. "Thanks Ma…" she smiled.

Angela pulled back and gave Jane a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad you're here" she beamed before looking at Maura. "And Maura, so nice to see you again. I'm glad you could come."

Jane noticed how Maura was expecting a handshake and was surprised when the hug came.

"Of course, thank you for inviting me" Maura replied and threw a glance over at Jane.

"Yeah, Ma is a hugger" Jane explained. "And now you're making a mess, Ma!" She grabbed Angela's hand, small droplets of fat dripping from the spatula, and moved it far away from Maura.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Angela blurted out and turned to find a towel from the counter. "Here, did I get anything on you?" She was looking over Maura in her search for stains.

Jane rolled her eyes and grabbed the towel. "Ma, you're still making a mess! Go back to the stove before we're all covered in fat!"

Angela looked at the spatula before rushing back to the pots and pans on the stove. Maura couldn't help but laugh softly from the commotion. She watched as Jane bent down to wipe the few spots on the floor, and noticed they were still holding hands.

"I'm glad you're laughing" Jane sighed before she got up and threw the towel back to her mother. She turned back to Maura and smiled. "And I'm glad I warned you about all of this" she whispered.

At the same time Vince came into the kitchen and noticed the girls. "Jane, happy birthday!" He hurried over to give Jane his version of a hug; short, pat on the back and that was it.

"Thanks" Jane smiled.

"And you must be Maura" Vince continued and looked at her. "I'm Vince, nice to meet you."

Maura shook his hand politely. "Yes, I am. Nice to meet you too."

"I have to say… you're brave for joining the madness of a Rizzoli dinner."

"Hey, don't scare her!" Jane said and gave him a playful punch in the arm. "I've already tried, it didn't work…"

Vince laughed out loud and shook his head. "Typical Jane. Anyway, we're glad you're here. We didn't know Jane was seeing anyone until earlier this week so we're looking forward to getting to know you."

Both Jane and Maura noticed how he looked down at their linked hands and smiled.

"So, you want anything to drink? Jane, I'm guessing Sam?" Vince grinned.

"Of course" Jane smiled.

"And Maura? What is your choice, beer, wine? Red or white?" he asked as he went to the fridge to find Jane's beer.

"I prefer red" Maura smiled back.

Vince handed Jane her beer. "Coming right up."

At the same time a loud rumbling noise sounded from the hallway, and Maura's eyes widened before she turned around.

"Here comes the cavalry" Jane sighed before she reluctantly released Maura's hand to open her beer. She took a sip before putting down the beer on the table in front of them. "My brothers" she explained to Maura who was staring at the two guys who were running down the stairs.

"Happy birthday, sis!" they both shouted before running up to her and hugging her.

"Thanks, guys."

Tommy looked over at Maura and smiled. "So… is this your girlfriend?"

Jane felt a blush creeping up her neck as she looked at Maura. "Uh… we…" She really didn't know what words to put together, and Maura didn't help her at all. She just smiled.

Frankie picked up on the awkward vibe and looked down as he smiled.

"What?" Tommy asked and looked from Maura to Jane. Then he slowly started to grin. "Oh… you guys haven't talked about it yet. Awkward…"

"Nice going" Frankie laughed.

Vince came over to them with Maura's glass and smiled at her before looking at the boys. "Alright, it's your sister's birthday, be nice for a change" he teased. "And go get the table ready, you were supposed to do it an hour ago."

Frankie sighed and turned around before he headed for the dining room.

"In a minute" Tommy smiled. "I just gotta show Jane something first." He looked at Jane and whipped his head towards the stairs.

"Be quick" Vince warned him.

Jane looked at Maura, wanting to apologize for so many things. "I'll be right back" she smiled and gently squeezed Maura's arm.

"Oh relax" Angela chimed in. "I'm sure she can be without you for a minute."

Once again, Jane sighed and shook her head.

Maura took a step closer. "I have a feeling this will be a fun night" she whispered with her eyes smiling as much as her lips.

Jane glanced at the clock on the wall behind her mother. They had just been there for five minutes and already Jane wanted to grab Maura's hand and run as far away as possible. "Fun for someone" she mumbled. Tommy pulled at Jane's arm and she gave in and followed him to the stairs. "Alright, I'm coming."

"Stay out of my room, Tommy!" Frankie yelled as his siblings went upstairs.

"Yeah, yeah, relax" Tommy grinned, but headed straight for Frankie's room. "You gotta see this" he whispered and opened the door.

"You're lying to your brother, huh?" Jane laughed.

Tommy shook his head and just leaned against the door frame. "Nope, I am staying out of his room, but he didn't say anything about you…" He pushed her inside before Jane had a chance to react. "The wall, on the right side" he pointed before crossing his arms over his chest. "You're welcome."

Jane squinted her eyes at him before she turned around. Frankie's room was tidy and clean, like always, and Jane walked over to the wall that was covered with posters. Most of them were of the Bruins, along with some signed pictures. Jane ignored them all when she spotted a small section of pictures that were not of the Bruins on the right side of the wall. It was of her team, and her eyes landed on a picture of her and Heather, taken from behind so just their names and numbers were recognizable. It was when she looked closer at the rest of the pictures that Jane started to laugh. "Oh my god…" Each and every picture was of one particular player, and Jane felt like rubbing her hands together and release her most evil laugh. It was Heather celebrating a goal, Heather laughing on the bench, Heather looking deeply focused in the middle of a game, Heather at the airport, the bus, at the hotel, anything.

"Happy birthday" Tommy grinned as Jane looked over at him.

"Shit…" Jane laughed and went back to study the pictures. "This is perfect!" She even saw a few pictures she recognized because she was supposed to be in them. It looked like Frankie had cut her out! "He has a crush on Heather!"

"Oh yeah!" Tommy laughed. "Big time."

Jane breathed out while she went back over to Tommy and left the room.

"Okay, I wanna show you my wall now. It's much better than his!" Tommy smiled as she carefully closed the door.

"What? Don't tell me you have a crush on one of my teammates as well?" Jane teased.

Tommy shook his head as they crossed the hall and entered his room. A much more Rizzoli-like room; messy. He pointed proudly to his wall.

Growing up, Tommy hadn't been the hockey fan like his siblings, he was more interested in football and the Patriots were of course the team closest to him, and his wall showed it. Jane hadn't been in his room for a long time, and smiled when she saw that half of the wall was now dedicated to her. Her jerseys were the centerpieces, from Devils to her college team. Around them were dozens of posters and articles, along with a shelf with some pucks. "Wow… I get to share the wall?" she partly teased.

"Hell yeah!" Tommy replied. "This is how a wall is supposed to look like when you have a sister that is a freaking superstar!"

Jane laughed and hooked her arm around his shoulders. "Damn. This is awesome. Thanks, little brother." She stared at the wall for a few moments before she turned to Tommy. "Alright, have Ma told you guys who's coming today?"

"Yeah, Danielle and Frost. And someone from your team."

"She didn't mention any names?"

Tommy shook his head. "She didn't remember."

"Perfect" Jane grinned. "What if I told you that Heather is coming….?"

"No way!?" Tommy blurted out. "She's coming?"

Jane nodded. "Any minute now… You know what this means, right?"

Tommy grinned and nodded. "Oh yeah. Frankie is in for a rough night! We need to make sure Heather is sitting next to him at the table!"

The doorbell made them both almost run out of his room and down the stairs. Jane reached the door first with Tommy close behind. When she saw the two familiar faces, Jane grinned and held out her hand behind his back. Tommy subtly high-fived it. "Hey, come on in" Jane smiled and stepped aside.

Heather entered first and gave Jane a hug. "Happy birthday! Thanks for inviting us."

"Yeah, we weren't sure you'd remember us after you were voted player of the year" Nicole added as she wrapped her arm around Jane. "Happy birthday, buddy."

"Give it a few weeks" Jane smirked. "And thanks."

She closed the door once they were safely inside. Tommy introduced himself and as they were all exchanging words, Jane noticed Maura stepped out from the kitchen and stopped right behind Heather and Nicole.

"Hi girls."

Jane stepped around them as both Heather and Nicole turned around in sync.

"Doctor Isles!" Heather blurted out with a smile.

Nicole's eyes widened as she saw Maura. "Doc! Hey…" She seemed to need a second to catch up before she grinned. "What a nice surprise!"

"Yeah, we didn't know you'd be here" Heather agreed while they were both grinning.

Maura looked from Heather to Nicole before turning to Jane. "You didn't tell them either, did you?"

Jane laughed. "Nope. This seemed like a much better idea." She shared a smile with Heather.

"Does this mean you're officially dating now…?" Nicole asked.

Maura smiled shyly before she nodded. "Yes, it does."

"Secretly, sort of…" Jane added.

"Nice!" Nicole smiled. "And your secret's safe with us. Great, that means that I'm the only one left who doesn't have a hot date…"

Heather and Jane laughed just as Tommy took a step forward and cleared his throat, giving Nicole the best smile he could come up with. "Hey… maybe I can help with that…"

The girls all burst out laughing. "Oh Tommy… I don't think you can" Jane laughed.

"Was I talking to you?" Tommy replied and glared at her.

Jane held up her hands. "Fine… He's all yours, Nicki." She took a step closer to Maura and used the distraction to reach for her hand.

Nicole put her hands in the pockets of her jeans and looked at Tommy. "You think you can help me with a date?" she smirked, ignoring the laughter coming from Heather beside her.

"Yeah" he smiled, eying a chance.

"So you have another sister, _single_ sister we don't know about?" Heather was still snickering beside her and it caused Nicole to choke a laugh.

Tommy's face fell. "What?" he asked confused. Nicole looked over at Jane, and Tommy followed her gaze before he looked back at her. "Oh crap!" he groaned and quickly retreated.

"Nice try though!" Nicole winked at him.

He blushed as he leaned against the wall. "Yeah, whatever… Frankie! Get in here!" he yelled.

Jane looked at him and they read each other's minds. She reached for Frankie when he joined them. "Hey, I want you to meet a couple of friends."

Frankie nodded and smiled before his eyes landed on Heather. All of a sudden he seemed to lift his head a bit, and Jane coughed to hide the grin. "Hey" he said and casually nodded towards them.

Jane put his arm on his shoulder and looked over at her friends. "This is Frankie, my second brother. Frankie, this is Nicole and Heather, from the team."

"Yeah, I know" Frankie almost mumbled.

"Alright" Jane smiled. "Let's go find something to drink then. Heather, I'm guessing you want your wine?" Heather nodded, and Jane grinned as she patted Frankie on the back. "You wanna get Heather a glass of wine?"

"Of course" Frankie nodded eagerly before turning to Heather. "You want red or white? I think we have a few different ones."

"Why don't you show her?" Jane urged.

Frankie nodded and held out his arm, showing Heather the way to the kitchen. Jane looked at Nicole when Heather went along with Frankie. "Hey…" She whispered and motioned her to come closer. "Don't tell Heather, but Frankie has a huge crush on her!"

"What?" Nicole laughed silently.

"Yeah, he has like 20 pictures of her on his wall. He even cut me out of some!"

Nicole giggled and shook her head. "Oh man… you're gonna have some fun with him?"

"Hell yeah!" Jane laughed. "At least for a while. Until I tell him the sad, sad truth."

"What truth?" Tommy asked and took a step closer to the trio.

"She has a boyfriend" Nicole explained. "For like a month. We haven't even met this guy yet."

"Interesting" Maura mused as she looked towards the kitchen. All three looked at her. "So by the end of the night, both of your brothers will have their hearts broken by your friends?" she smiled and looked at Jane.

The trio chuckled, and Jane turned to her. "I better walk away with my heart still intact tonight…" She tried to make it sound like a warning but completely failed as her smile just grew wider by the second.

"I can say for certain that you will" Maura replied. She smiled back, slowly displaying her million-watt smile until they heard a synchronized groan.

"Lovey dovey crap" Nicole mumbled and turned to Tommy. "Care to take me away from this?"

"My pleasure! The beer is this way" Tommy replied instantly and ushered her towards the kitchen.

Jane watched them leave before she took a step closer to Maura. "Huh… I never thought it would be that easy to make everyone disappear!"

Maura chuckled and glanced at Jane's lips before looking into her eyes. "I have to remember that for later."

"Yeah, absolutely." After a quick look over her shoulder, Jane leaned in and softly kissed Maura. She lingered for a second before pulling back, enjoying the warmth and the bliss of just being close. A thumb was stroking her hand, and Jane slowly breathed out. "I'm really glad you're here" she whispered. "It wouldn't have been the same without you."

"Good" Maura replied. "Because I wouldn't have liked it if you were standing here kissing someone else."

Jane laughed before she stole another quick kiss. "You're getting too good with those comebacks" she teased. "Come on, I need my beer." She turned around and started to walk towards the kitchen, tugging at Maura's hand. "And by the way, 'someone else' doesn't exist for me anymore…" She never saw the huge smile behind her.

* * *

Jane stood by the kitchen counter and looked at her friends and brothers gathered in her living room. The dinner had been surprisingly calm, and not as embarrassing as she had expected. After Danielle and Frost had arrived, the teasing definitely started and having all her closest friends gathered was a test, but nothing that Jane couldn't handle. She knew just how to get back on them anyway. Maura came over to her with a bottle of wine and two glasses in her hands.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Jane nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Hey, um, would you mind if I showed them the gift from you?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind, why would I?"

"I don't know" Jane sighed and turned to Maura. "I just… Well, they all know what a jersey like that costs, and I'm pretty sure one or two of them will think you're spoiling me."

Maura put down the bottle and glasses before reaching for Jane's hand. "Well, they are right. I am spoiling you…"

Jane gasped, pretended to be offended but couldn't help laughing.

"I don't mind, Jane" Maura smiled. "I don't care what others might say or think. So go show it and brag about it if you want to."

"Okay" Jane nodded. "Then I will, cause all of the girls have asked me at least twice already."

"I'm aware" Maura grinned. "Danielle has even asked me."

Jane laughed and shook her head. "I hope she passes out when she sees it. I'm gonna go get it now." She squeezed Maura's hand before she disappeared into her room. When she returned with the framed jersey, Maura was sitting on the couch and smiling. Jane cleared her throat and grinned as she stopped in front of the group. "Some of you wanted to know what Maura gave me today." All eyes were on her, but Jane focused on Danielle. "And Dani, you should be glad Maura is here because you will most likely have a heart attack" she smirked.

"Oh no… I don't like the sound of this" Danielle sighed.

"Don't worry, you'll be in good hands" Jane gloated before she flipped the frame and held it up. One of the guys whistled, Heather blurted out an 'oh my god' and it was quickly followed by other words. Jane looked around at the faces, wondering who would notice the autograph first.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Nicole jumped up from her chair and stumbled past knees and legs along the table until she was in front of Jane and staring at the jersey.

Jane grinned and met Maura's eyes. "Almost like how I reacted…"

"Hey rookie, you're not invisible" Heather complained.

Nicole responded by turning around, pointing to the middle of the 4 and glaring at Heather.

"What?" Heather asked as Frost and Frankie, who were closest to Jane, noticed the auto. Then Heather's face turned into complete shock. "No!" She too jumped up from the couch and made her way over to Jane.

Jane stared at Danielle who was farthest away and hadn't seen what everyone else had seen. "Okay, what the hell?" Danielle asked when her view was blocked.

"It's a freaking signed Bobby Orr jersey!" Nicole called out to her.

"What!"

Jane started laughing when Danielle rushed over to her. Six heads were gathered in front of her, all six pair of eyes were studying the jersey and the autograph, and Jane winked at Maura. "Yeah, all of your gifts sucked!"

Danielle was the first one to retreat, shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose as she turned to Maura. "You're killing me… And my birthday is in a month."

"Shut up, Dani!" Jane laughed.

* * *

Jane woke up the next morning with a dry throat and exhausted after a night with not enough sleep. She instantly reached out for Maura, starting to get used to having her in the same bed. When her hand never made contact with soft, naked skin, Jane groaned and buried her face into her pillow. "Why…" Still a bit groggy, she reached out to the other side in case something very strange had happened and Maura had moved to the other side, but nothing. She was starting to lose count of the mornings she had woken up alone when she wasn't supposed to. "Not fair" she mumbled, mostly to herself. "Totally not fair…" A low, short chuckle from the other side of the room interrupted her bad morning, and she silenced while she started to smile. "You better have a really good reason for abandoning me in bed. Again!" She slowly turned around and saw Maura by the door. "Oh…"

Maura was taking a slow sip of a cup while she smiled, and Jane had to blink a few times. Maura was wearing nothing but a black and red jersey with the familiar number on the sleeves. It was way too big for Maura, reaching mid thighs and the sleeves were bunched up against her hands. It was the sexiest thing Jane had ever seen. "God, you look sexy in that…" she grinned.

Maura sauntered over to the bed and sat down. "Does this qualify as a good reason?"

Jane laughed and nodded. "Oh yeah!" She slowly sat up and tucked the sheets around her before she snapped the cup out of Maura's hands. She took a sip of the coffee while Maura tried to look offended.

"Please, help yourself."

"Don't mind if I do…" Jane put down the cup on her nightstand before she quickly wrapped her arms around Maura's waist and pulled her close. A surprised squeal filled the room before Maura was safely settled in Jane's lap and laughed. Jane silenced her with a soft kiss and a smile. "Good morning."

"Hi…" Maura was quick to snake her hand around Jane's neck and pull her in for another kiss. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up, I was just very thirsty for some reason."

Jane brushed her lips against Maura's. "How strange… considering how much we drank last night."

"I think that is the root of the problem" Maura giggled. "I usually make sure I drink a lot of water after a night like that, somehow I skipped that part last night."

There was a certain look in Maura's eyes that made Jane smile and feel slightly guilty. "Yeah, sorry… I guess I was in a hurry to get you to bed."

Maura slowly looked away from Jane's eyes and pulled the comforter over her legs. "I wasn't complaining, was I?" she asked with a smile.

Jane laughed and shook her head while she pulled Maura closer to her. "Nope. It actually sounded like the opposite… Like music to my ears." She felt a feeling of pure bliss spread through her body when Maura leaned back against her. Kissing Maura and touching her was absolutely thrilling and addictive, but it could never beat the feeling of just having her close. Jane closed her eyes and leaned her head against Maura's. "I still can't believe this" she whispered. "You and me. How completely different we are, but it still feels so perfect and right."

"Are we that different?" Maura asked as she placed her hands above Jane's.

Jane laughed softly and nodded. "Yeah… It's… like two different worlds sometimes. You can name every designer out there, I'm lucky if my socks match when I go outside. You can separate every single flavor in a wine and I can't even pronounce the name."

Maura chuckled while she tried to melt into Jane's arms.

"You have this huge place that is so thought through in terms of decorations, it even smells like home, while I have a couch that is older than me. You are elegant, smart and confident, I trip over my own feet. You are so far out of my league, but somehow you're still here with me. And I already know that it doesn't matter how many times our worlds collide. We're like two pieces of a puzzle; completely different, but when we're together… it all makes sense. We fit together."

The room silenced while Maura closed her eyes and tried not to shed a tear. She let the words repeat in her head while she pressed against Jane's body behind her. Jane answered by tightening her embrace. Maura started smiling when Jane left a kiss on the top of her head, and she opened her eyes again. Turning around slowly, Maura softly kissed Jane and let her lips stay there against Jane's. Her breath was shaky when she finally pulled back and sighed. "You are right" she whispered and caressed Jane's cheek slowly with her fingertips. "We fit. This makes sense. I've never thought of it like that, like how you just described us."

"I do have my moments" Jane whispered back and grinned against Maura's cheek.

"You do" Maura laughed. "You certainly do." Memories started to pop up in her mind, and for a long time, Maura just sat there, resting her head against Jane's and thought. "I wish I had done a lot of things differently these six months." Jane lifted her head and Maura knew what was coming. "I know" she continued. "We can't go back and undo anything. I'm not even sure if I want to. I mean, what if I had told you about him from the very beginning? Who knows if we would be here now."

"I know" Jane said and leaned back. "I'm happy things happened the way they did, cause it got us to this point. I don't care about the past anymore. All I want is for you to be here, and for us to be… well, _us_."

Maura nodded and let her hand slide down Jane's arm. "I want that too. I want it to be just you and me."

"You and me… and one, long summer. Sounds pretty good to me" Jane whispered and leaned into the palm on her cheek. "I'm kinda glad for the long off-season right now."

Maura smiled as she rested her head on Jane's shoulder. Her hand fell down to a naked shoulder and she traced the soft skin over Jane's collarbone. "I want to go somewhere."

"What? Like now?"

"No, this summer. A place where we can be just two normal people, where they won't recognize you."

Jane chuckled softly. "You don't think we travel enough during a season?"

Maura laughed and looked up. "No, I do, but this will be different. At least we can share the same room."

"Okay, gorgeous… You have some very convincing arguments" Jane grinned. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Someplace warm, with a beach so I can stare at you as much as I like."

Jane laughed at the badly covered desire in Maura's voice.

"I want to be lazy and order room service, watch the sunset while you hold me and spend half the day in bed with you."

"I'm already sold, baby… no need to convince me anymore" Jane whispered against Maura's head.

"Good, because I already know where I want to go. Do you dare to let me surprise you?" Maura tried to smile as sweetly as she could, and picked her words wisely.

Jane eyed her for a moment, suspicious when Maura used the word 'dare'. "I'm guessing this is where I tell you that I trust you and say I would go anywhere as long as it's with you?"

Maura leaned up and pressed a kiss to Jane's lips. "I'm glad to hear that" she smiled.

Jane slowly shook her head, but smiled. "Sneaky, doctor Isles. I think you're starting to pick up some of my moves."

"Oh, I doubt that" Maura mumbled as she initiated a slow and sensual kiss. She reached up and buried her hand in Jane's hair, moving her fingertips slowly over the soft skin in Jane's neck.

Jane hummed as she smiled and pulled back slightly. "Not fair…" She let her eyes go over the black jersey and her own number on Maura's arms. "And totally not fair how good you look in _my_ jersey."

Maura giggled and forced Jane to look into her eyes. "You've scored a lot in this jersey, haven't you?"

"Yeah… not sure how many, but I'm guessing a few…"

"Since you are the hockey expert here… what are the chances I will score while wearing this jersey?" There was a playful smirk on Maura's face.

Jane's mouth fell open as she grinned. "Empty net, baby… you can't miss."

"I like those odds" Maura replied before she let herself melt against Jane's lips. If there was one thing she knew for sure she could not have enough of, it was Jane's lips. Whether it was a quick kiss, a goodnight kiss or a soft and tender 'I can't get enough of you'-kiss. She needed them all. They were quickly becoming a part of her daily routine, and with four glorious long months ahead of them, routines didn't look quite as boring as it sounded.

"By the way" she whispered in between two kisses. "You're signing this afterwards."

Jane grinned as she looked into Maura's eyes. "Yes, dear."


End file.
